Senegal Aims to Secure Milan’s Thiaw for National Team

A surprising development has emerged regarding Malick Thiaw, the AC Milan defender who has become an indispensable player for Paulo Fonseca. The Senegalese national team is making efforts to recruit Thiaw, who has Senegalese and Finnish heritage but was born and raised in Germany.

Despite representing Germany at various youth levels, including winning the U21 European Championship in 2021, and making three appearances for the senior team, Thiaw’s international future remains uncertain. The reason for this lies in a technicality within FIFA regulations.

Thiaw’s three appearances for Germany’s senior team were all in friendly matches between June and October 2023. According to FIFA rules, friendly matches do not permanently tie a player to a national team. This loophole has opened the door for Senegal to pursue Thiaw’s services.

The German Football Association now faces the possibility of losing a highly promising defender they consider crucial for the future of the national team. Senegal’s football federation has already initiated official steps to persuade Thiaw to switch allegiances.

The question now remains: will Germany respond by calling up Thiaw for a competitive match to secure his commitment, or will Senegal successfully recruit the talented Milan center-back?