At noon on June 10, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced that all 5 newly naturalized players have been approved by FIFA. They are eligible to play for the Malaysian team and can play against the Vietnamese team at Bukit Jalil Stadium. FAM confirmed the information on its official Facebook.
The five naturalized players are facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Jon Irazabal, Joao figueiredo and Rodrigo Holcado. These are players of Argentine, Spanish origin... and are playing in developed football regions around the world. They are expected to strengthen the strength of the Malaysian team in all aspects, from defense to attack.
Previously, fans in Southeast Asia and Malaysia both questioned FAM's calling up of these 5 new naturalized players. Their quick mention in the squad to prepare for the match against Vietnam in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup has surprised and skeptical domestic fans. Even the Malaysian media admitted that they had never known these players before.
According to FIFA regulations, a foreign player is only allowed to wear the national team jersey if he has resided in that country for at least 5 years, unless he can prove his origin as a citizen or has a direct blood relationship.
In case the conditions are not met, the use of players will be considered a violation and can lead to a severe penalty.
Therefore, FAM asked FIFA for confirmation to ensure everything is in accordance with regulations.
With the presence of 5 new naturalized players, the Malaysian team is confident that it will end an 11-year winless streak against the Vietnamese team.
The match between Vietnam and Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers will take place at 20:00 on June 10.
