France may be disqualified from the U17 World Cup after fielding Yanis Issoufou against Senegal in the last 16, which they won on penalties.
France advanced to the quarterfinals on Wednesday, although Issoufou was one member missing from the team. The Montpellier forward had already featured for Les Bleuets three times in the tournament, registering two assists. However, Issoufou was hastily removed by France for the clash against Senegal – although that may not be enough for them to escape punishment.
France’s decision was made amid reports of Issoufou’s dual representation. The forward has previously represented Niger U17s in a competition that allowed the African nation to qualify for the U17 World Cup, per Sport News Africa. According to FIFA rules (article 24), it is prohibited for a player to represent two nations during the same tournament. As a result, Senegal have since lodged a complaint to football’s governing body.
Despite France being unwilling to take any chances by removing him from the matchday squad for their last-16 clash, the appeal lodged by Senegal means France could still be disqualified. Burkina Faso, who were eliminated from the competition at France’s cost, may also submit an appeal. The report also claims that Issoufou’s nationality has not been changed by France, who instead blamed the mistake on an administrative error.
France are currently set to play against Uzbekistan on Saturday, November 25. However, if FIFA intervenes, Senegal could very well become the side to take on Uzbekistan.
