Germany defender Jonathan Tah has said a player’s choice of which national team to represent should always come from the heart, as the issue of dual nationality returns to the spotlight in German football.
His comments follow the decision of 19-year-old Ibrahim Maza, a Germany youth international, to switch allegiance and play for Algeria.
The move reignited debate within the German Football Federation, which has suggested that countries benefiting from German-trained players should offer financial compensation.
Tah, whose father is Ivorian, revealed that he too was once approached by the Ivory Coast but made his decision early.
“For me, it is a decision of the heart,” the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back said. “When I was 17, the Ivory Coast made contact, but I quickly said no. I wanted to play for Germany.”
The 29-year-old, capped 41 times, is set to feature as Germany face Luxembourg and Slovakia in their final World Cup qualifiers. Germany lead Group A on goal difference and need two wins to secure automatic qualification for next year’s tournament.
