Historically, it was possible for players to play for different national teams. However, since 2004, FIFA have made a series of significant changes to the rulings determining international eligibility. The new set of rules are more strict and sets additional requirements while determining which country a player may represent.
Though it has been permitted that a player may represent one country at youth international level and another at senior international level, there is a further requirement that such a player must apply for the same before their 21st birthday.
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In addition, any player who has not played international football before shall be allowed to represent either the country of his birth, the country of birth of his biological parents and grandparents or even the country where he has lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18.
It is a general tendency of players to favour representing the countries of their migration rather than the countries of origin. There isn’t a more significant example of this case in view than the French national team.
As many as 9 players from Didier Deschamps’ current squad have African connections and could have go on to represent another country at international events:
#1 Patrice Evra – Senegal
Patrice Evra was born in Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, to a father of Guinean descent and a Cape Verdean mother as one of a total of 25 children. A diplomat by profession, Evra’s father decided on a move to Brussels in order to work at the Senegalese embassy in Brussels at a time when Evra was just twelve months old.
Two years after living in Belgium, when Evra was three, the family moved to France and settled in Les Ulis located near the south-western suburbs of Paris.
Raised on Senegalese culture and values, aged 10, Evra returned to Senegal for a short period of time. But describing his return as ‘not a good experience’, primarily because he had ventured back to undergo circumcision, Evra has never travelled back to the country of his origin again.
Due to his decision of opting to represent France as an international, the veteran defender has also often been subject to racial abuse from the supporters of the Senegalese national team.
Starting his career in Ligue 2, the second division of French football, Evra rose to prominence as Manchester United came calling. With 5 Premier Leagues and a Champions League title, Evra remained a mainstay in the United back-four under Sir Alex Ferguson, spending nearly 8 years at Old Trafford before he moved on to Juventus.
Having been described a perfect example of a modern day full-back, Evra remains an integral part of Didier Deschamps’ France setup, clocking the full 90 minutes in each of France’s Euro 2016 game so far.
#2 Eliaquim Mangala – Belgium
Born in the north-western Parisian suburb of Colombes to D. R. Congo parents, Eliaquim Mangala was five when his family moved to Belgium. Growing up in the French-speaking city of Namur, here was a time when the Belgium football association wanted him to switch allegiances from France.
His junior career started with Athletic Club Lustin where he was utilized as a striker. After having spent six years at the club, he then signed for CS Wépionnais in Wépion and Union Royale Namur.
It was not until when Standard Liege recruited him that the move to defence followed. Mangala’s stocks as a central defender only rose from there on as the reigning Europa League champions Porto came calling.
Strong performances became a normal sight in the three years spent with the Portuguese champions, even earning him the recognition of the most coveted defender in the world, before his move ashore in the summer of 2014 to join Manchester City in a whopping £42m deal.
Though he has since struggled to adjust to the rigours of the Premier League, Mangala retained his place in Didier Deschamps’ France squad for Euro 2016, but his only appearance thus far being as a late second-half substitute in a 5-2 win against Iceland in the quarter-finals.
#3 Bacary Sagna – Senegal
Bacary Sagna was born in Sens, a commune in north-central France, to Senegalese parents. Having started his career at the local FC Sens, Sagna established himself as one of the best full-backs during his time at Auxerre. At the age of 17, Sagna wished to join up with the Senegalese national team, but officials in Dakar had refused to admit him into the outfit despite repeated pleas from his parents.
"I wanted to play for Senegal when I was 17, but they didn't reply. So I was a bit disappointed. But when I started playing for Auxerre for the first team, they [Senegal] contacted me and I had a game on the same day with the French national team under 21's so I had to make a choice." stated a disappointed Sagna in 2013.
Dubbed ‘Mr. Reliable’ by the Auxerre fans, Sagna moved to Arsenal for an undisclosed fee and was handed the number 3 shirt, having caught the eye of Arsene Wenger. A first senior international cap for France came soon after in a friendly match against Slovakia.
Having spent more than 7 years in North London, Sagna moved across to title rivals Manchester City upon the expiry of his contract with Arsenal. Alongside Patrice Evra on the left, Sagna remains an indispensable component of France’s back-four under Deschamps and has also played his full quota of 90 minutes in each of France’s games at Euro 2016 so far.
#4 Samuel Umititi – Cameroon
Not many had heard of the name Samuel Umititi, at least not before Barcelona had decided to splurge a fee in the region of €25 million for the powerful central defender this summer.
Umtiti was born and spent his first two years in the Cameroonian city of Yaoundé before moving to France, representing the country as a youth international from the under-17 to the under-21 level. Having broken into the Lyon first team setup as a mere 17-year old, the Cameroon Football Federation officials met his advisors in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to represent the country of his origin.
“My position has not changed. I began my career with France’s youth team and so it is logical that I continue to the senior team,” Umititi had said of his ambition to always represent France, and not Cameroon.
Uncapped at the senior level, Umititi was selected to be a part of France’s squad for the Euro 2016. Replacing the suspended Adil Rami for his first-ever senior appearance for France, a solid showing in the quarter-final against Iceland, earned him a retained starting spot for the semi-final against Germany where another fine performance followed.
#5 N’Golo Kanté – Mali
Born in Paris to Malian parents, Kante was approached by Mali ahead of the 2015 African Cup of Nations having not represented France for any of their youth teams. But the offer was declined on the basis that Kante was still trying to establish himself in Ligue 1, having represented Boulogne and Caen in the second division of French football.
Remaining an unknown commodity, Kante was scouted for Leicester City by Steve Walsh, who had also previously facilitated the transfers of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez to the club. A dream first season in England followed as Leicester defied all odds to lift the Premier League title, with Kante considered to be a major factor in the team’s strong showings.
Mali issued a further invitation to Kanté in January 2016, although he stated that he was still undecided about which national team to represent should he get an invite from France.
His consistent performances at the club level did not go unnoticed as Didier Deschamps included him in the French squad for Euro 2016, making his first senior appearance in the opener against Romania at the Stade de France, setting up Dimitri Payet’s winner.
#6 Paul Pogba – Guinea
Paul Pogba was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France, about 50 miles north of Paris. Born to Guinean parents who immigrated to France, he is the youngest of three, with two older twin brothers — Florentin and Mathias — who both ply their trade in football as well.
Florentin, the eldest, currently plays for French club Saint-Étienne, while Mathias plays for Scottish Premiership side Partick Thistle. While Paul has opted to play for France, his twin brothers continue to play for Guinea.
Already one of the best midfielders in the world at 22, Paul Pogba began his football career at age six for local club US Roissy-en-Brie before a move to professional football with Le Havre came calling. After a couple good seasons with the Le Havre youth team, Pogba decided on a transfer to Manchester United amid much controversy.
His time at Old Trafford under then manager Sir Alex Ferguson was less than fruitful, causing much frustration. Pogba’s big break came upon his arrival in Turin. Immediately put into the first team at Juventus, Pogba’s impact on the team’s performances has been brilliant, his natural talent and ability on full display every game, helping the Italian giants to a historic fourth straight Scudetto title and a Champions League final during his 4 successful years at the club so far.
#7 Moussa Sissoko – Mali
The eldest of four children, Moussa Sissoko was born in Le Blanc-Mesnil, Seine-Saint-Denis to Malian parents. His father is a construction worker, his mother a housewife who looked after Sissoko and his three younger sisters. At the age of 13, Sissoko left and travelled more than 600 kilometres south to accept a place in Toulouse’s Academy.
Capped by France at every level since Under-16, he broke into Toulouse’s first team at 18 and quickly became their star player. Despite concrete interest from several clubs from England during the January window of 2013, including the likes of Tottenham and Everton, Sissoko had his heart set on joining Newcastle and would not be swayed.
Having made his international debut way back in 2009, Sissoko failed to cement a place in the France squad. It was not until the 2014 World Cup that Sissoko managed to turnaround his fortunes with a string of fine showings in Brazil.
Despite the Toons having been relegated from the Premier League, Sissoko has been arguably their best player from the seasons gone by and it is no surprise that his name is once again being speculated with a transfer to the likes of Liverpool and Spurs amongst other clubs.
#8 Steve Mandanda – Congo DR
Steve Mandanda was born in 1985 in Kinshasa, now the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He signed his first senior contract at Le Havre in 2005 after four years in the club's youth set-up. Steve Mandanda has three younger brothers, all of whom are goalkeepers with divided loyalties: Parfait, goalkeeper of Charleroi and Congolese international; Riffi, goalkeeper of AC Ajaccio and France U-16; and Ever, goalkeeper of Lusitanos Saint-Maur.
After having played for the France under-21 side at the European Championships, the now 31-year old goalkeeper, chose to play for the French national football team rather than Congo, the country of his birth. For this very reason he earned the nickname "Frenchie" amongst his relatives.
Securing a move to Marseille after a successful loan spell, it did not take much time for the 6’1’’ shot-stopper to solidify his place in the side, becoming the club captain in process and going on to record over 350 appearances for the club before his contract expired at the end of last season.
Ridden with goalkeeping issues, Alan Pardew wasted no time in securing the services of Mandanda, expected to start as the new number 1 at Crystal Palace next season.
#9 Blaise Matuidi – Angola
It’s fascinating how Blaise Matuidi could’ve played for either Angola or Belgium, but destiny brought him to France.
Long before Matuidi’s birth, in 1983, his Angolan father and French mother fled the civil war that tore their country, Angola, and went into exile in Europe. At first they settled in Belgium. However, problems continued to persist and they had to quickly set sail for France. His parents finally settled there permanently and Blaise Matuidi was born in 1987 in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne.
Matuidi began his football career at the tender age of six and grew an attraction to the sport watching Paris Saint-Germain and became an admirer of former attacker Jay-Jay Okocha. Four years after signing a professional contract at Saint-Etienne, PSG came calling, searching an able replacement for the retired Claude Makelele, thus earning Matuidi his dream move to the capital.
In 2009, the Angola Federation returned for him while he was still a young hope of French football, moving to Saint-Etienne. Upon consultation with Claude Makelele, another French star of Congolese origin, he was convinced that his heart was set on representing the country of his birth, France, receiving first call-up soon after under then manager Laurent Blanc.
Having been forced to miss the 2012 edition due to an unfortunate injury, Matuidi was named in Deschamps’ original 23-man squad for Euro 2016 and continues to play a stellar role in the France midfield alongside Paul Pogba.
