Who are the three Argentines who will play the World Cup in Qatar 2022 for other teams

In addition to Lionel Scaloni’s 26-man squad for the Argentina national team, there will be three other Argentinian footballers who will play the World Cup in Qatar 2022albeit on behalf of other countries.

For various reasons, such as having inherited the nationality of another country through family ties, emigrated at an early age or succeeded in football in another country and then became citizens, A total of 137 players will play in the top competition representing a nation other than their birth country. The number is up from Russia 2018, where it was 87.

In the case of Argentines there are three: Rogelio Funes Moriwho will defend the colors of Mexico, Hernan Galindezis part of those summoned by Gustavo Alfaro in Ecuador, e Fernando MuslerUruguayan goalkeeper.

Born in the city of Mendoza, in 1991, the case of the twin Rogelio Funes Mori is the most striking because previously played friendly matches for Argentina with the sub 18, sub 23 and senior teams: in 2012 he played 15 minutes in the friendly against Brazil, under the technical direction of Alejandro Sabella.

And recently, called up by Gerardo Tata Martino, he played his first match – and scored his first goal – for Mexico in July 2021, in a friendly against Nigeria, after obtaining nationalization and become a Mexican citizen.

In this way, the player who trained at the River becomes the third Argentine to play in a World Cup with Mexico’s shirt. Before, Frank William he was called up for 2006 and 2010, and the rosarino Gabriel Caballero He played the 2002 World Cup for El Tri.

The Muslera case is a little different. The goalkeeper was born in Buenos Aires on June 16, 1986, a few minutes later Pedro Pablo Pasculli scored the goal against Uruguay that qualified Bilardo’s team for the quarter-finals of the 86 World Cup. Son of Uruguayan parents, he settled in Uruguay when he was 8 months old, where he would later begin his sporting career.

“Respectfully, My passport says Argentinian nationality, but my feeling is one hundred percent Uruguayan”Muslera said clarion in 2017. The one in Qatar will be the fourth World Cup for Muslera, already present in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.

For his part, Hernán Galíndez was born in Rosario in 1987and debuted in Rosario Central, in 2008. Then, he passed through Quilmes, the Chilean Rangers and arrived in Ecuador in 2012 when he signed with the Catholic University of that country, where he had a great performance.

Its nationalization process started in 2016 and would happen a year later.

“I hadn’t started the nationality to play in the Selection, I did it because I had made the decision to stay and live here”Galíndez, who has children born in Ecuador and is currently part of the Aucas, from the city of Quito, will then explain.

Gustavo Alfaro called him up for the Qualifiers before Qatar and from there, starting as a substitute, He earned his place among the goalkeepers and got a ticket to the World Cup.

Morocco, the most “foreign” team.

​The African team has 14 footballers born in another country, including Achraf Hakimi (born in Spain), Hakim Ziyech (Netherlands) and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (Canada). Followed by Tunisia and Senegal, with 12.

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