The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) is endeavouring to entice more foreign based players of Sri Lanka origin to join the team in the near future.
Already the Federation is holding talks with 11 more players and if everything works out favourably they will be able to join the men’s team before the remaining World Cup qualifiers are played in October and November according to Anura de Silva, the president of the FFSL.
“We have identified 11 new foreign based Sri Lanka players and are in talks with them. We have requested them to apply for dual citizenship that will make them eligible to play for Sri Lanka.
“With them in the team we hope to take the sport to the next level,” said de Silva.
The players with Sri Lankan heritage who have already been lured to join the team are Wazeem Razeek from Germany, Marvin Hamilton from England and women’s player Yasmin Banter from England.
The Sri Lanka team has failed badly in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers so far losing all their outings in their group.
“We could not register a single win during the World Cup qualifiers. The players are working hard with the intention to win under their new coach. But with the inclusion of our foreign based players we have the advantage to build a better outfit,” said de Silva.
Even other Asian countries such as the Asian champions Qatar and China have also drafted players of foreign nationalities into their squads with much success.