Cambodia calls up 8 naturalized players to attend AFF Cup 2024

The most are players of Japanese origin (3 people). Among them, midfielder Yudai Ogawa was born in 1996, played in the Cambodian National Championship since 2018. He successfully naturalized in October 2023, scored one goal in 11 matches for the Cambodian team.

Hikaru Mizuno has been playing in Cambodia since 2015, but was only naturalized in July this year. The player born in 1991 is considered versatile, able to play as a defender or a midfielder. Finally, defender Takasi Ose, born in 1995, has just received citizenship and the 2024 AFF Cup is the first tournament he will play for Cambodia.

Meanwhile, center back Kan Mo, whose South African name is Mohammed Faeez Khan, only received Cambodian citizenship in August, but has been chosen as Cambodia’s vice-captain. Defender Leng Nora – of Ghanaian descent born in 2004, but born in the capital Phnom Penh. In attack, the Cambodian team has strikers Andres Nieto – of Colombian descent born in 1996 and Abdel Kader Coulibaly – of Ivory Coast descent born in 1993.

The Cambodian squad for the 2024 AFF Cup also includes a mixed-race player, Nick Taylor. The striker, born in 1998, has a Cambodian mother and an American father, and has been on the national team since 2022.

"Cambodian fans seem happy to have more naturalized players," the article said.Khmer TimesThey believe that the group of players has the ability to surpass the natives and will positively impact the National Team's performance.

This group of players were trained in better football backgrounds, but are currently playing in the Cambodian National Championship. The remaining 18 players called up by interim coach Koji Gyotoku also do not play abroad.

Naturalization is not new in Cambodian sports. At the 32nd SEA Games, taekwondo athlete Casandre Nicole Tubbs, who is of mixed American and Cambodian descent, won the gold medal in the women’s under-67kg category. In men’s basketball, they naturalized a series of American-born players, thereby winning the gold medal in the three-a-side event and the silver medal in the five-a-side event.

The trend of naturalization is widespread in Southeast Asian sports, including athletes of mixed blood and no ancestry. Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are the leading countries. Vietnam is also gradually considering this as a method to improve the strength of the team, with the cases of overseas Vietnamese like Nguyen Filip and Dang Van Lam, or Brazilians like Nguyen Xuan Son.

Cambodia will gather today and have five days to prepare before playing their opening match of Group A against Malaysia on December 8. The team will then face Singapore (away, December 11), Timor Leste (home, December 17) and Thailand (away, December 20).

Despite their ambitions, Cambodia have failed to raise the level of their national team, even after hiring Japanese football legend Keisuke Honda as coach and technical director. In September, they drew 2-2 with Sri Lanka after two matches and then lost 2-4 in a penalty shootout, which resulted in them missing out on a place in the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup. The opponents were considered weaker but surprised everyone by naturalizing a series of players from Europe.

List of Cambodian football teams

Goalkeepers (3): Hul Kimhuy (Visakha), Vireak Dara (Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng), Reth Lyheng (Nagaworld)

Defenders (9): Hikaru Mizuno, Soeuy Visal, Sareth Krya (Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng), Taing Bunchhai (Boeung Ket), Kan Mo, Leng Nora (Visakha), Yeu Muslim, Seut Baraing, Takaki Ose (Phnom Penh Crown )

Midfielders (6): Yudai Ogawa, Orn Chanpolin (Phnom Penh Crown), Kim Sokyuth, Min Ratanak (Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng), In Sodavid, Sin Kakada (Visakha)

Forwards (8): Lim Pisoth, Andres Nieto (Phnom Penh Crown), Sieng Chanthea (Boeung Ket), Nick Taylor (Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng), Sa Ty, Sor Rotana (Visakha), Hav Soknet, Abdel Kader Coulibaly ( ISI Dangkor Senchey).