On October 6 (Beijing Time/CET), according to The Sun, the DR Congo goalkeeper who almost caused England to suffer an upset at the North American World Cup is allegedly ineligible to participate in the tournament according to FIFA documents.

In the Round of 16 match held in Atlanta, DR Congo goalkeeper Mpasu Nzau made a series of brilliant saves. England captain Kane then scored two goals in the match's closing stages, helping England secure a narrow victory.

It was reported that senior FIFA officials knew that the 32-year-old French-born goalkeeper had not completed all the required procedures to change his nationality and represent DR Congo.

This could place additional pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as FIFA was aware of Nzau's ineligibility before he participated in the intercontinental playoff final against Jamaica in March.

Nzau was born in Meaux, a suburb of Paris, and represented various French youth national teams 12 times in 2010 and 2011.

FIFA regulations allow players to change nationality, and Nzau, who played for Le Havre in Ligue 1, made his debut for the DR Congo national team in 2022.

However, after DR Congo eliminated Nigeria in October, Nigeria filed a complaint regarding Nzau's eligibility and that of other DR Congo players, which triggered a FIFA investigation.

Nigeria's appeal was ultimately rejected due to what FIFA called "technical reasons." FIFA also stated: "The committee is independent and makes decisions based on applicable rules and the specific facts presented to them."

However, newly revealed investigation results show that senior officials of the DR Congo Football Federation never completed the required naturalization procedures for Nzau.

FIFA officials have mentioned possible sanctions, including awarding victory to Nigeria, but later objected on the grounds that the appeal was filed too late.

Nevertheless, Nzau was allowed to play against Jamaica and subsequently became a focal point at the World Cup. This incident has triggered a strong reaction from Concacaf.

Concacaf stated in a statement: "Any concerns regarding player eligibility, particularly those that could affect match integrity or impact the interests of our member associations, must be thoroughly reviewed and properly addressed."

Although such issues typically do not directly involve Infantino, questions about potential interference have arisen due to his close relationship with Véron Mosengo-Omba, who was subsequently elected president of the DR Congo Football Federation.

Mosengo-Omba, born in Switzerland, is a longtime acquaintance of Infantino; they studied law together at the University of Fribourg. Mosengo-Omba previously worked for Infantino at UEFA and FIFA, and later served as CAF Secretary General. In March, he resigned from that position and took over as head of the DR Congo Football Federation in May.

It is reported that Infantino's opponents, including UEFA, AFC, and Concacaf, will use this latest news as a new "weapon" to continue pushing for Infantino's removal, although they currently lack a clear candidate to support. However, this news could cause division among some of Infantino's supporters in Africa.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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