Fifa regulations for a player with two nationalities
Fifa regulations for a player with two nationalities state that could opt to play for the national team for which it is convened and that to do so is considered player of the national team with which debuted in a match for an official competition :...
''The alleged cases of dual citizenship have led to a comprehensive review by the FIFA has had to incorporate specific regulations to dispel doubts about the football associations which could play dual nationals. Well, this law is contained in the FIFA Statutes and Regulations Development (
http://www.fifa.com/mm/Document/AFFederation/Generic/02/58/14/48/2015FIFAStatutesEN_Neutral.pdf) extending from a general principle art. 5.1''
"Any person holding a permanent nationality that is not dependent on residence in a country is eligible to play for the representative teams of the Association of that country."
This is precisely the case with our player, his residence in Spain, had no adverse effect on his nationality as Argentina could have chosen to play in both national teams; to possess the two nationalities Messi or any other player in the same legal situation could play in two different national teams and still could do so legally be nationals of the countries they represent (art. 5.1).
*However, to avoid malfunctions, a rule is specified in the regulation for the implementation of the FIFA Statutes which restricts the possibility of playing in the Association which is a national, even be, it must also attend an additional condition the player, resulting ultimately in a territorial connection:
Art. 6 Nationality entitling players to represent more than one association
1.
A player under art. 5 is eligible to play for the representative teams of more than one association because of their nationality, can only play with one of these teams in an international match if, in addition to having the relevant nationality, he fulfills at least one of the following conditions:
a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
b) one of the biological parents of the player born in the territory of the relevant Association;
c) a grandparent born in the territory of the relevant Association;
d) He has lived for at least two consecutive years in the territory of the relevant association.
This goes to show that the "national sport" sets more stringent requirements than the "civil", because despite nationality enjoy it and with it all the rights of nationals of the country concerned and not be allowed to enjoy the right to represent their country (either) but it concurs any of the conditions cited by the precept.
The "nationality sporting" is often defined it represents the possibility of participating in the selection of a particular national federation, and based on this, extra conditions trying to avoid distortions in the Sports tournaments are set.
Messi, as shown, was eligible for play in both teams and could opt therefore for the selection of Argentina or the Spanish.
Now, there is a really important thing that allows turning interpretation Art. 8.1) of the implementing regulation of the FIFA Statutes it provides for the exchange of Association...
So that:"If a player has more than one nationality, adopt the citizenship of another country or to possess several nationalities, you can select for several representative teams, you may exercise only once, the right to request authorization to play international matches other association which is a national, under the conditions set forth below:
a) A player may exercise the right to change Associations only if you have not played (partially or completely) in an international "A" match in an official competition for his current Association in which it is located, and if at the time of their first participation, partial or complete, in an international match in an official competition for his current Association that is already possess the nationality of the country to which he wishes to play ".
This rule applied to the specific situation of Messi,opened the possibility for the player to be able to apply a*change of Association and can therefore play with Argentina.
Note also that the eligibility criteria for Euro (specifically art. 43) also refers to compliance with art. 5-8 of the implementing regulation of the FIFA Statutes analyzed.
However, the letter b) of Art. 8 provides a strong constraint. Specifically it provides that:
b) A player who changes association can not play with their new partnership in any competition in which he has played for his previous Association.
. I heard it happen sometimes for"traitors"
