June 03, (THEWILL) – A shocking revelation has emerged that Emilio Nsue, the top scorer at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations finals, played illegally for Equatorial Guinea for 11 years. This information came from FIFA documentation detailing a six-month ban handed to the 34-year-old striker last month.
Nsue, whose previous clubs include Birmingham City and Middlesborough, was the leading marksman at the finals in the Ivory Coast in January, where Equatorial Guinea defied expectations by beating the host nation in the group phase and progressing to the last-16. However, Nsue should not have been playing at all, according to the decision by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.
The committee’s decision, made on May 10, found that Nsue should not have been allowed to represent the small central African nation, as he had previously been sanctioned and had a request for a switch of footballing nationality denied. Despite this, Equatorial Guinea continued to pick him for over a decade, ignoring FIFA’s ruling that denied his request to switch to the African country.
Born in Palma de Mallorca to a Spanish mother and father from Equatorial Guinea, Nsue represented Spain at junior level, including scoring at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup.
While players can apply to switch international allegiance if they have dual nationality and have not won a competitive senior cap, FIFA denied Nsue’s request because he only acquired Equatoguinean nationality after playing for Spain at junior level.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
