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Ansu Fati granted Spanish citizenship, becomes eligible to play for Spain

Notably, even if the Barcelona forward plays for Spain at the under-17 level, FIFA rules allow him to change his national team at a senior level as he is eligible to play for two more countries.

SNS | New Delhi | September 21, 2019 11:57 am

Ansu Fati granted Spanish citizenship, becomes eligible to play for Spain

(FILES) In this file photo taken on September 14, 2019 Barcelona's Guinea-Bissau forward Ansu Fati celebrates after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona against Valencia CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. - Ansu Fati has made a long trip from the fields where he played as a kid in Guinea Bissau to Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium where the 16-year-old has exploded onto the scene. (Photo by PAU BARRENA / AFP)

In a recent turn of events, La Liga giants Barcelona’s teenage sensation Ansu Fati has been granted Spanish citizenship. This development now makes him eligible to play for Spain at the international level.

The 16-year-old wonder teen is meanwhile also eligible to play for Guinea-Bissau, where he was born, and can even feature for Portugal through his grandparents.

As soon as Fati completed the minimum eligibility requirement of 10 years of residency in Spain, his application for citizenship was processed by the country’s Interior Ministry. The decision, in effect, means that Fati could be included in Spain squad’s for FIFA U-17 World Cup ahead of the deadline next week.

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Notably, even if the Barcelona forward plays for Spain at the under-17 level, FIFA rules allow him to change his national team at a senior level.

On Tuesday, when Fati started for Barcelona, he became the youngest ever to debut in UEFA Champions League history for Barca. This particular match ended in a goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund.

He already has netted as many two goals in three La Liga matches so far.

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