Malaysian clubs advised to save careers of naturalized players suspended by FIFA

By Trung Thu November 11, 2025 | 12:04 am PT

Experts are advising the Malaysia Super League (MSL) to sign the naturalized players who are having their contracts terminated by clubs overseas after they were suspended by FIFA for document fraud.

The advice came as the fallout from FIFA sanctions intensified.

Days after FIFA Appeal Committee (FAC) rejected the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)'s appeal over the use of falsified documents for the seven naturalized players on Nov. 3, the first clubs have taken actions.

Defender Gabriel Palmero had his loan at Spanish third-tier club Unionistas de Salamanca ended on Nov. 8, the same day his parent club, CD Tenerife, also terminated his contract.

Striker Rodrigo Holgado is also expected to be released by his Colombian club, America de Cali, while Facundo Garces (Deportivo Alaves) and Imanol Machuca (Velez Sarsfield) face uncertain futures.

Sports and commercial lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli told Malaysian newspaper Berita Harian that this presents an opportunity for local clubs to sign four quality players.

"This is a way to save their careers," Nik Erman said. "After the year-long ban, they can still play for any club."

Malaysia naturalized player Rodrigo Holgado. Photo by Instagram/@rodrigoholgado

The three other banned players, Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, and Joao Figueireido, are already playing for Malaysia's top club Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT).

The newspaper suggested that signing the players could also reduce their frustration, as Harian Metro reported the players are considering suing the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for compensation.

This potential lawsuit is reportedly based on FAM's admission of "administrative errors" in the documentation process. However, FIFA Disciplinary Committee (FDC) noted in its ruling that the players were the "ultimate beneficiaries" of the violation and also deserved punishment for not authenticating their own documents.

The situation left FAM facing significant legal and financial pressure as it has pledged to continue appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Football expert Pekan Ramli told Scoop that the association should focus on helping the players, not on a "meaningless" pursuit of the case.

Even after the ban ends on Sept. 26, 2026, the seven players may still be ineligible to represent Malaysia. If their bloodline claims are officially invalid, they would have to meet FIFA's 5-year residency requirement to play for Malaysia again.