Qatar lash out heavily on Germany’s interference over Ailton naturalization: They are playing with fire

MiddleeastFootball - In an unprecedented attack against Germany’s plans to stop Qatar from going ahead in naturalizing Brazilian striker Ailton, Qatar FA general secretary Saoud Al Mohannadi said “If the Qatari step is about to bring fears to Germany, this means we are on the right track.”

Talking in a special press conference held Monday afternoon in Doha, Al-Mohannadi went on saying: “Germany FA has no right to interfere in the whole affair. 

“Ailton is a Brazilian national and playing only his club football at one of their clubs, Werder Bremen. The DBF, or any of their officials, have no right whatsoever to pressurize FIFA doing anything they think it’s better for them.”


Over the weekend, German FA president Gerhard Mayer-vorfelder revealed “FIFA is about to step up against the naturalization of Brazilian player Ailton as Qatari.

“FIFA will try its best in future time to stop players from any country gaining naturalization of a given nation to play with foreign national teams,” added Mayer-vorfelder, himself FIFA executive committee member. 

“Everybody out there at the German FA must be aware that we are receiving many offers from at least six European and South American nations, players who didn’t represent their national teams and willing to play for us. 

“It’s not the matter of Ailton or Dede, we are playing it right and fair. 

“FIFA regulations are very clear in this respect: Any player who didn’t play for his national senior A team has the full right to represent any other country. 

“We all know as well that a player who represented his Under-21 national side and wants to get back and play for his mother country has the right to do so, but this has nothing to do with a player who acceded that age.

“This being said, why not playing all the cards at once? What about those nations who were active in naturalizing foreign players for more than three decades now? What about Germany itself, France, Poland, Portugal, etc…???

“We have the very same status as Germany within the world governing body and everyone out there must know they are playing with fire when interfering in this matter. 

“We will be all out to defend our own interests,” concluded Al-Mohannadi.