Series of illegally naturalized Malaysian players face dead end
Seven players have citizenship but not enough residency according to FIFA; the 1-year suspension plus 5 years of residency pushes them past their peak performance, while Malaysian clubs find it difficult to bear high salaries.
Malaysia is facing an unsolved problem: seven naturalized players have passports but are still unable to play for the national team because they do not meet FIFA’s residency requirements. With a one-year ban on top of a five-year residency requirement, time is running out on their side, and Liga M clubs are shaking their heads at the financial burden.
Sports lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli stated on BH Sukan: the group of players including Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Jon Irazabal, Joao Figueiredo and Imanol Machuca do not meet the residency requirement to play for the national team, despite having Malaysian citizenship. This is the biggest legal obstacle preventing them from returning to their career track.
Legal dilemma: FIFA residency rules
The core issue is that they have not completed their FIFA residency period, which has resulted in their international eligibility being suspended. A one-year ban extends the mandatory break. With residency added to the five-year period, the window of eligibility could come when their careers are past their peak.
Financial and age issues: why are clubs hesitant?
This group of players are mostly 25 or older, with Rodrigo Holgado already 30. The gravity of the performance curve is real: a year without playing and five years of residency can push many closer to 36 before they are considered at national level.
“It is difficult for any team to pay them high salaries, especially when some players are in their 30s. After the ban and the additional five-year residency requirement, they could be close to 36, no longer fit to play at the national team level,” said Effendi Jagan Abdullah, managing director of Action Football Asia (M) Sdn Bhd, who has been representing players for more than 20 years.
Narrow door in JDT, darker with the rest of Liga M
The three names Jon Irazabal, Joao Figueiredo and Hector Hevel have a bit more advantage as they have been present at Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) since the beginning of the season. The stability in training environment, health and professionalism helps them maintain their status. However, for the remaining group, finding a club with enough financial potential in Malaysia to sign and maintain them long-term is a real challenge.
In the context of football teams balancing salary budgets, foreign player quotas and the need for immediate effectiveness, a long-term contract for players temporarily unable to play at the national team level is a risky decision. This is the main reason why the domestic market has become indifferent to this group of players.
List of 7 players and common bottlenecks
- Hector Hevel
- Gabriel Palmero
- Facundo Garces
- Rodrigo Holgado
- Jon Irazabal
- Joao Figueiredo
- Imanol Machuca
The common denominator: not meeting the FIFA residency requirements to play for the Malaysian national team, while the time and cost to maintain form at the club level are significant barriers.
Impact and unanswered questions for the Malaysian team
The incident is considered the biggest break point in many years of Malaysian football, when the "assets" expected for the national team are at risk of not being able to exploit. The question is: Will Liga M be able to support this group of players to overcome the waiting period, or will they have to close the dream of wearing the Harimau Malaya shirt?
The answer remains unclear. But until the legal hurdles are cleared and a viable financial roadmap emerges, the future of Malaysia’s illegal naturalised players is unlikely to escape the grey zone.
