Exclusive Foot Africa: Paulo Duarte discusses the dual-nationality player issue
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Paulo Duarte discusses the dual-nationality player issue
Paulo Duarte/@l'Equipe
In a statement to Foot Africa, Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte, head coach of Guinea, addressed the issue of dual-nationality players who could potentially strengthen the 'Syli National.'
“Yes, of course. There are dual-nationality players, but not as many as we would like. We have five or six top-level players who have already played at the highest level, but so far, they have not responded positively and have declined invitations to play for Guinea,” he revealed, before adding: “This is also a real problem for us, because if we managed to convince even seven players, Guinea would have a fantastic team. But you can't force a player to represent Guinea.”
“There are therefore other young players, perhaps less experienced in the short term, but who have quality and, above all, the desire to play for the country. And for me, that's the most important thing: having players who are ready to give everything for the flag,” Paulo Duarte concluded.
Having not taken part in the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), Guinea will aim to secure a qualification ticket for the next edition of the competition, scheduled for 2027 in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.