Malaysia nearly made another citizenship error with a player, but hesitated to field him

11/10/2025 15:27:00 FieldFrenzy

Malaysia narrowly avoided a major issue when Ghana-born striker Jordan Mintah was almost played without meeting FIFA's citizenship eligibility rules, forcing coach Peter Cklamovski to make a last-minute halt.

Malaysia football’s citizenship crisis Just as the situation seemed to calm down, the Jordan Mintah case stirred public controversy again. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had prepared to debut him in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Laos after completing domestic naturalization procedures. Mintah, who has played in Malaysia for over five years, expressed his excitement: “I will give my all for the Malaysian flag.” However, only hours before the match, FAM unexpectedly ordered a halt to his registration as FIFA had not yet approved his paperwork.

Coach Peter Cklamovski was forced to remove Mintah from the squad. “That was beyond my control. I was only informed that Mintah’s documents needed confirmation, and he could only be eligible to play once FIFA approved,” the Australian coach shared with disappointment.

Without this timely decision, Malaysia might have committed its eighth serious mistake in just a few months—while FIFA is still investigating the scandal involving seven players naturalized improperly, including Rodrigo Holgado, Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, Joao Figueiredo, and Jon Irazabal.

Jordan Mintah almost played despite his citizenship documents lacking FIFA approval

FIFA sent a 19-page letter to FAM confirming that those cases used forged documents regarding their grandparents’ origins to register for matches. Meanwhile, FAM insists on difficulties in obtaining original documents, but FIFA proved verification is straightforward through the global player database and e-passports.

In response to this scandal, Coach Cklamovski expressed his frustration: “All the problems currently happening in Malaysian football are the fault of FAM. Whether administrative errors or inaccurate statements, it’s still the federation’s responsibility.”

Domestic experts also criticized FAM’s unprofessionalism. Sports lawyer Richard Wee warned: “FIFA’s disciplinary process could take 1-2 years. What Malaysia needs now is transparency and cooperation, not confrontation.” Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also spoke out: “This is a deliberate act of fraud on the international stage. No one could do that without significant power and influence.”

The Mintah case may cause Malaysia to violate FIFA rules again after the scandal involving seven naturalized players

Under public pressure, FAM is considering internal reforms and electing a new president after Joehari Ayub resigned. Although Malaysia’s Home Ministry asserts all naturalization procedures comply with the federal constitution, lawyers emphasize FIFA is sanctioning FAM for breaching international eligibility rules, not domestic nationality law.

Fortunately, FAM “braked in time” before another violation occurred. However, the Mintah incident serves as a stern warning: Malaysian football is walking a fine line between the ambition to raise the national team’s level and the risk of losing national credibility. Without comprehensive reforms, the “Malayan Tigers” may not get another chance to correct mistakes.

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