Explainer-How soccer’s eligibility rules work and their impact on the World Cup

ATLANTA, June 17 : Morocco’s impressive performance against Brazil on the opening weekend of the World Cup and the shock draw that tiny Cape Verde forced against Spain came from a foundation of studious assimilation of players from around Europe, vastly strengthening their side with talent from the diaspora.

All 11 Morocco starters were born outside the country and developed at European clubs, save for Canadian-born but home-grown goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Most African nations have turned over the last two decades to migrant communities in Europe to find players and been able to dramatically improve their competitiveness, none more so than Cape Verde, with a small population of around 600,000, who have relied on players born, or raised, in Europe to see them to unlikely World Cup qualification when just over two decades ago they had not even entered the qualifiers.

Global migration, much changed FIFA eligibility rules and aggressive scouting of diaspora talent have significantly changed the landscape of world football.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

All players competing at the World Cup must be citizens of the country they represent and there is a physical passport check. To avoid countries handing out passports to foreigners to cynically strengthen their squads, players must have resided five years in that country or have a parent or grandparent born there.

ELIGIBILITY

In the early days of the World Cup there were no rules on eligibility and Luis Monti played for Argentina in the first tournament in 1930 and four years later for Italy after he had moved there to join Juventus. FIFA later imposed a strict policy of once a player had played an international match in an official competition at any level, they were tied to that country