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)

Football’s Quarrels and Feuds, Part three

1- Paul van Himst and Luis Oliveira

Belgium Manager Paul van Himst axed Luis Oliveira from Belgium’s 1994 World Cup squad after Oliveira demanded an automatic starting position.

The furious van Himst made the analogy that if his own son ever asked him for a Porsche he would tell him to look for a new father.

Photo From: 90 minutes, March 19, 1994

(Belgium and Cagliari’s Luis Oliveira, 1993/94)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, September 18-24, 1991

(Paul van Himst)

2- Eric Cantona and Henri Michel

On August 20, 1988, French striker Eric Cantona launched a verbal attack on National team manager henri Michel after he was omitted from the friendly match with Czechoslovakia on August 24, 1988 (one to one tie).

He called Michel a bag full of sh***.

He did apologize two days later, however, he was suspended indefinitely by the Federation.

He privately apologized to Henri Michel on August 29, 1988, nevertheless, on September 9, 1988,  the French Federation suspended him from the National team for the remainder of the season.

Photo From: Mondial, new series, Issue 106, January 1989

(Eric Cantona and actor Mickey Rourke, 1988)

Photo From: Mondial, new series, issue 84, March 1987

(Henri Michel)

3- Ruud Gullit and Rinus Michels

On December 4, 1991, Holland were due to play Greece at Salonika in their final European Championship qualifier that they had to win to qualify.

Ruud Gullit had back pain and wanted to withdraw. Dutch Manager Rinus Michels insisted on Gullit playing with painkillers.

After a heated argument, Gullit stayed in the dressing room and did not even watch the match (the Dutch won 2 to 0).

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 70, November 1994

(Ruud Gullit with AC Milan, 1990/91) 

Photo From: Het Nederlands Elftal, De Histoire van Oranje, 1905-1989, Author Matty Verkamman

(Rinus Michels lifting the European Championship trophy, June 25, 1988, European Championships, Holland 2-USSR 0)

4- Sa Pinto and Arthur Jorge/Rui Aguas

On March 26, 1997, Portugal National Team Manager Arthur Jorge was confronted by Ricardo Sa Pinto.

Sa Pinto had been angry about being dropped from the squad for the World Cup Qualifier vs. Northern Ireland on March 29, 2997.

The angry Sa Pinto physically attacked and punched Assistant Manager Rui Aguas.

On April 1, 1997, Sa Pinto was fined 20,000 GBP and on April 4, he was suspended indefinitely.

He was subsequently banned one year by the Portuguese Federation and that decision was affirmed by FIFA as well.

Photo From: World Soccer, May 1997

(Sa Pinto punching Aguas with Arthur Jorge on the left trying to intervene)

5- Willy van der Kuylen/Jan van Beveren and Johann Cruyff

On at least two separate occasions PSV Eindhoven pair of goalkeeper Jan van Beveren and Forward Willy van der Kuylen withdrew from the Dutch national team because of their differences with Johann Cruyff.

Before Holland’s EC qualifier vs. Poland on October 15, 1975, (3 to 0 Holland win), the pair withdrew from the squad upon hearing that Johann Cruyff and Johann Neeskens would be included and playing.

Piet Schrijvers and Frans Thijssen had to be called up as replacements.

Then prior to the European Championship semifinal vs. Czechoslovakia on June 16, 1976 (1 to 3 Czech win), Jan van Beveren and Willy van der Kuylen withdrew the squad because they felt that Johan Cruyff wielded too much influence. 

Photo From: Onze, Issue 47, November 1979

(Jan van Beveren)

Photo From: Voetbal International, February 28-March 5, 1977

(Willy van der Kuylen)