On Thursday, reports emerged that Leicester City forward Ademola Lookman had switched his nationality to feature for Nigeria in their upcoming international assignments.
Lookman, on loan at Leicester from German side RB Leipzig, is now in line to feature for the Super Eagles in the play-off round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Ghana next month.
He was born in England to parents of Nigerian descent, but went on to feature for England’s Junior teams: The Under-19, Under 20, and Under-21 teams. He was also part of England’s Under-20 World Cup-winning squad.
However, is Lookman an isolated case? TeamKenya.co.ke looks at five other football stars who switched nationalities.
Wilfried Zaha - England, Ivory Coast
In November 2016, Crystal Palaces' winger Wilfried Zaha submitted a request to feature for Ivory Coast despite having featured for the Three Lions in two friendly matches.
This was in time for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, one he went on to feature in as they were eliminated in the group stages.
Zaha was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, but moved to England at the age of four, and would go on to feature for Palace and Manchester United in England’s topflight football.
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Diego Costa
Born in Logarto, Brazil, Costa was spotted by Super-Agent Jorge Mendes who attached him to Portuguese club Braga in 2006.
His big breakthrough, however, came in the 2013/14 season at Atletico Madrid where he scored 27 goals. It was then that Spain started courting him.
In 2013, he was handed citizenship by Spain, despite having featured for Brazil in friendly matches against Italy and Russia in the same year.
The Spanish Football Federation then moved with speed to tie him up. He has since scored 10 goals in 24 appearances for Spain.
Thiago Motta
Former Italy midfielder Thiago Motta opted to switch to Italy despite having featured for Brazil twice in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
He made 30 appearances for Italy scoring one goal, and currently manages Serie A club Spezia.
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Nacer Chadli
In February 2011, Chadli received two call-ups from both Belgium and Morocco.
Then featuring from Dutch club FC Twente, Chadli opted for Belgium, despite having featured for Morocco in a friendly match against Nothern Ireland.
Chadli, who currently features for Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir, was born in Belgium to Moroccan parents.
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FIFA Nationality Rules
FIFA made it easier for players to feature for other nationalities they are eligible for. The new regulations were ratified at the FIFA Congress in September 2020.
Players are now eligible to switch as long as they were eligible to represent a second country at the time they first played for their first country.
This is also on condition that they have not played more than three matches (including friendlies). None of the matches should have been in the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup or Confederation Cup.
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