Overview
- FIFA has refused Mile Svilar’s request to change national allegiance because his only senior appearance for Serbia came after his 21st birthday in September 2021.
- Svilar made a single senior appearance for Serbia in a friendly against Qatar five days after his 22nd birthday, and that cap is the decisive fact under the 2020 rule.
- Serbia have not selected Svilar since he tried to return to Belgium and Belgium are unable to call him up under FIFA’s age-and-cap limits, leaving him in international limbo.
- At club level Svilar is one of Europe’s top goalkeepers, having won Serie A goalkeeper of the year twice, kept 37 league clean sheets since 2024/25, and signed a long-term deal with Roma.
- Svilar’s lawyers have pursued remedies for years without success and the case highlights how FIFA’s tightened 2020 nationality rules can permanently bar dual-national players despite strong club form.