New Addition: Oriundis and Other Naturalized Internationals, Part one

A new addition about players who were from different nations and became citizens of their country of residence to become internationals.

An Oriundo in particular refers to South Americans with Spanish or Italian ancestry.

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di Calcio tre volte Campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

(Vittorio Pozzo)

-If they can die for Italy, they can play for Italy.

Italy Manager Vittorio Pozzo in his justification for selecting Oriundis.

1- Luisito Monti –Argentina and Italy 1920s and 30s

Argentinean hard-man Luis Felipe ‘Luisito’ Monti was a member of the Argentina squad that reached the final of the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

He then joined Juventus and was capped by Italy from 1932.

He was a member of the 1934 World Cup winning Italian squad.

Photo from: El Grafico, Histioria De La Seleccion Argentina, 1921-30

(Luisito Monti , July 15, 1930, World Cup, Argentina 1-France 0)

Photo from: La Nazionale Italiana, 1978

(Luisito Monti with Vittorio Pozzo, February 12, 1933, Belgium 2-Italy 3)

2- Jose Altafini-Brazil and Italy, 1950s and 60s

Brazilian striker José João Altafini (nicknamed Mazzola, in reference to Valentino Mazzola) was a member of Brazil’s 1958 World Cup winning squad.

After the World Cup he signed for AC Milan and spent nearly two decades in the Italian League by playing for Napoli and Juventus as well.

He was capped by Italy in 1961 and 1962, having been eligible due to his Italian ancestry.

Photo from: Calcio 2000, Issue 25, December 1999

(Jose Altafini at AC Milan)

3- Luis Fernandez- France 1980s and 90s

French midfielder Luis Fernandez was born in Tarifa, Spain and moved to France as a child.

Though raised in France, in Footballistic terms and otherwise,  he only became a French citizen  in his early 20s.

Within a year in 1982 he was capped and remained in the National Team setup for a decade.

Photo from: Mondial, Hors Serie 3, 1986

(Luis Fernandez, October 13, 1984, World Cup Qualifier, Luxembourg 0-France 4)

4- Ernest Willimowski –Poland and Germany, 1930s and 40s

Poland striker Ernest Willimowski is mostly remembered for scoring four goals in a losing effort vs. Brazil during the 1938 World Cup.

He was actually born in an area of Poland (Silesia) that was still part of the German Empire in 1916. That area became part of Poland in 1922.

After Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939, he was capped by Germany in the 1940s. He stayed in Germany for the remainder of his life.

Photo from: World Soccer, December 1997

(Ernest Willimowski)

5- Luis Oliveira-Belgium 1990s

Brazilian striker Luis Oliveira arrived in Belgium and Anderlecht as a teenager and eventually made his League breakthrough with them.

Having not been capped nor approached by Brazil, he took upon Belgian Citizenship and was capped by them in 1992.

Photo from: World Soccer, November 1992

(Luis Oliveira at Cagliari, 1992/93)