Diego Costa

[Luftstalag14]

Portugal? You should tell that to Germany and specially France. Many countries have done that. Italy and Spain also.

Germany? They had Cacau, who was never called up by Brazil. The guy wanted to play for Germany. Can you blame him?

The funniest example is Kevin Prince Boateng, who initially wanted to play for Germany (where he was born) but decided to play for Ghana just to spite the DFB which pissed him off.

The real obnoxious one had to be the Turkish FA. They regularly, and actively lure those German-born players of Turkish descent to play for Turkey. Sahin, Ekici, and now Yesil.

 

[Flavia]

Portugal? You should tell that to Germany and specially France. Many countries have done that. Italy and Spain also.

There's nothing wrong in doing that, I was just giving an example. Deco and Pepe came to mind.

 

[pEllee]

You should tell this to the Portugal nt, haha. I don't agree with you at all, btw. He wants nt competitions, brazil is not looking for him. And then VdB does, as spain is in need of a forward.

What exactly do you disagree with it? And in need of a forward? Really? Is this some sort of transfer window? He's been capped by Brazil twice already. He just wants international football, he could care less where.

Besides, VdB do have strikers to pick between. No need to get desperate.

 

[Flavia]

What exactly do you disagree with it? And in need of a forward? Really? Is this some sort of transfer window? He's been capped by Brazil twice already. He just wants international football, he could care less where.

Besides, VdB do have strikers to pick between. No need to get desperate.

Cesc's been used as false 9 for a reason. The forward position is currently spain's weakness. Torres, or villa, haven't been exactly delivering. I disagree with your point that a player has to defend only the country he was born in. Xavi, puyol, pique and others identify themselves as catalan, maybe they should also stop playing for spain. Exceptions can happen, there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[FCBarca]

You're Brasilian, right Flavia?...What do you make of someone like Costa switching to La Roja?

 

[Flavia]

You're Brasilian, right Flavia?...What do you make of someone like Costa switching to La Roja?

I hope he doesn't, because Brazil could use him. He just played one game, wasn't very good, but he should get more chances. Though I don't think scolari will call him again.

 

[pEllee]

Cesc's been used as false 9 for a reason. The forward position is currently spain's weakness. Torres, or villa, haven't been exactly delivering. I disagree with your point that a player has to defend only the country he was born in. Xavi, puyol, pique and others identify themselves as catalan, maybe they should also stop playing for spain. Exceptions can happen, there's nothing wrong with that.

As do I. Because I never said that. I would never say that.

I said that, I prefer it if they at least grew up in the country. Costa didn't grow up in Spain. He moved there as a teenager. He's played twice for Brazil, if he really loves Spain and feels spanish then I'm somewhat okay with it but I doubt he feels spanish. If he does, why would he even play for Brazil?

Look, international football, unlike club football shouldn't be about your own personal glory or some desperate need for playing international matches. I just don't like this, when you're free to swap between nations just because you want to play some international football. The point of having international football is lost then. You play for love and pride, not glory.

And please, VdB could use Negredo for instance. He's got strikers. If not, there's still no need to get desperate.

 

[Flavia]

As do I. Because I never said that. I would never say that.

I said that, I prefer it if they at least grew up in the country. Costa didn't grow up in Spain. He moved there as a teenager. He's played twice for Brazil, if he really loves Spain and feels spanish then I'm somewhat okay with it but I doubt he feels spanish. If he does, why would he even play for Brazil?

Look, international football, unlike club football shouldn't be about your own personal glory or some desperate need for playing international matches. I just don't like this, when you're free to swap between nations just because you want to play some international football. The point of having international football is lost then. You play for love and pride, not glory.

And please, VdB could use Negredo for instance. He's got strikers. If not, there's still no need to get desperate.

They're not free to swap, though. There are rules. Costa could really want to play a wc, it might not be just personal glory. Although every footballer seeks this, playing for club or country.

 

[Chainsaw]

As do I. Because I never said that. I would never say that.

I said that, I prefer it if they at least grew up in the country. Costa didn't grow up in Spain. He moved there as a teenager. He's played twice for Brazil, if he really loves Spain and feels spanish then I'm somewhat okay with it but I doubt he feels spanish. If he does, why would he even play for Brazil?

Look, international football, unlike club football shouldn't be about your own personal glory or some desperate need for playing international matches. I just don't like this, when you're free to swap between nations just because you want to play some international football. The point of having international football is lost then. You play for love and pride, not glory.

And please, VdB could use Negredo for instance. He's got strikers. If not, there's still no need to get desperate.

One should not merely "Love" a team (be a club or country) to play for 'em. The standards have changed. To me dedication and concentration to your job is a more important factor nowdays.

 

[DennyCrane]

Portugal? You should tell that to Germany and specially France. Many countries have done that. Italy and Spain also.

Why Germany ? Guys like Khedira, Özil, Podolski, Klose were either born in Germany or moved here at a very young age. Names aside, they are about as german as it gets. Double citizenship isn't allowed in Germany, so Özil and Khedira for example had to decide and chose the country they grew up in. Germany, like France, is an immigration country.

btt. Scolari ignored Costa for quite some time now and thereby seemingly punctuated that Brazil doesn't need him. Costa deserves to play for a NT, lives in Spain for quite some time now and is a spanish citizen. I don't see anything wrong with him playing for Spain to be honest.

 

[Aryagorn]

I don't see why Diego should opt not to play for Spain NT... His parent country's stupid coach doesn't seem to have a tiny bit of brain, what could he do!? He's but a human being and hasn't got forever to wait up to play for Brazil after all!!

 

[pEllee]

They're not free to swap, though. There are rules. Costa could really want to play a wc, it might not be just personal glory. Although every footballer seeks this, playing for club or country.

Of course there are rules. But it's pointless to argue with you, you're not even trying to understand me. You're actually confirming what I said. He just wants to play a world cup.

One should not merely "Love" a team (be a club or country) to play for 'em. The standards have changed. To me dedication and concentration to your job is a more important factor nowdays.

They are both important. You don't have to love a club though, that's actually a job, you get paid to play for a club. A national team on the other hand is not a job.

Why Germany ? Guys like Khedira, Özil, Podolski, Klose were either born in Germany or moved here at a very young age. Names aside, they are about as german as it gets. Double citizenship isn't allowed in Germany, so Özil and Khedira for example had to decide and chose the country they grew up in. Germany, like France, is an immigration country.

btt. Scolari ignored Costa for quite some time now and thereby seemingly punctuated that Brazil doesn't need him. Costa deserves to play for a NT, lives in Spain for quite some time now and is a spanish citizen. I don't see anything wrong with him playing for Spain to be honest.

Deserves? Sure, he's good enough but since when did it become some kind of human right to play for a national team? If he truly does feel spanish, then I'm okay with it. Seems strange though, after all he did play for the Brazilian national team not long ago.

Divided loyalties you could say, but I doubt it. It's a question of him just wanting to play some international football/world cup. Sure he's a citizen but I'd like to believe more is required than that.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm being too conservative about this.

 

[Flavia]

Of course there are rules. But it's pointless to argue with you, you're not even trying to understand me. You're actually confirming what I said. He just wants to play a world cup.

I understand you. But your view of love and pride is quite romantic, and far from reality. I doubt Xavi, Busquets, Pique and the rest of catalans play because they love spain or are proud to be "spaniards". And there's nothing wrong with that, for me.

 

[DennyCrane]

Deserves? Sure, he's good enough but since when did it become some kind of human right to play for a national team? If he truly does feel spanish, then I'm okay with it. Seems strange though, after all he did play for the Brazilian national team not long ago.

Divided loyalties you say, but I doubt it. It's a question of him just wanting to play some international football/world cup. Sure he's a citizen but I'd like to believe more is required than that.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm being too conservative about this.

Yes, he deserves it.

What does playing for a NT mean factually ? It means, that player x who is a citizen of a certain country is among the elite players of that country. And that's about it. Of course, some players are proud of themselves for making it there, others might feel proud to represent the country they're playing for - but these motivations shouldn' be a criterion imo.
To me personally, the concept of a national team divided by citizenship, or the idea that playing for a NT is or should be a higher purpose, feels somewhat anachronistic.

What is citizenship in a globalized world with (mostly) freedom of movement other than a legal status, what does 'feeling spanish' even mean ? That's where we'll probably disagree.

 

[pEllee]

Yes, he deserves it.

What does playing for a NT mean factually ? It means, that player x who is a citizen of a certain country is among the elite players of that country. And that's about it. Of course, some players are proud of themselves for making it there, others might feel proud to represent the country they're playing for - but these motivations shouldn' be a criterion imo.
To me personally, the concept of a national team divided by citizenship, or the idea that playing for a NT is or should be a higher purpose, feels somewhat anachronistic.

What is citizenship in a globalized world with (mostly) freedom of movement other than a legal status, what does 'feeling spanish' even mean ? That's where we'll probably disagree.

I just think international football lose a certain amount of charm when the players don't actually care what country they play for, yes. It would have been different if it's a job but it's not. It is a slightly romantic view of it, sure. I don't see any problems with that.

Feeling spanish? I don't know, there's no definition, there's no right answer, you just feel it.

Let's all agree to disagree. No one seems to agree with me anyway.