KUALA LUMPUR – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed it has not received any formal complaints concerning the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) recruitment of heritage players.
This comes amid allegations from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and several Indonesian media outlets, which accused FAM of bypassing international protocols.
When contacted by Scoop, FAM reiterated that it had fully complied with all FIFA regulations in the recruitment process.
Speaking to Scoop, AFC secretary general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul clarified that the regional body does not play a role in determining player eligibility.
“According to FIFA regulations, only FIFA has the authority to determine the eligibility status of players. The AFC registers players for AFC competitions based on FIFA’s approval.
“So we have no jurisdiction in this matter and have not received any official protest from any of our affiliates.
“As for the allegations being circulated, it is for FIFA to address them. We have no oversight of any investigation, if one is indeed taking place,” he said.
Earlier, VFF general secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú expressed frustration in an interview with Scoop, saying the federation was puzzled by how swiftly FAM had secured eligibility for its heritage players.
He said that in Vietnam’s experience, the naturalisation process typically takes at least six months.
He questioned the transparency of Malaysia’s process and whether FIFA had been properly informed, calling for a full investigation and warning that Vietnam may escalate the matter directly to FIFA.
An article by Indonesian outlet Disway ID further speculated that Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam on June 10 in the Asian Cup qualifiers could be overturned, with Vietnam potentially awarded a 3-0 victory.
It also claimed FAM could face a fine of US$2 million (RM9.4 million) and other sanctions if FIFA or the AFC found evidence of document tampering.
Additionally, some Indonesian media sources alleged that an internal FIFA probe had uncovered discrepancies in the players’ documentation. However, to date, FIFA has not issued any public statements, and no formal complaints have been disclosed.
Despite the absence of official action or corroborating evidence, the controversy has stirred fierce debate among Southeast Asian football fans, especially on social media, with many demanding greater scrutiny.
At the centre of the dispute are five newly inducted heritage players — Facundo Garcés, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, and Jon Irazabal — all of whom made their debuts during last month’s Asian Cup qualifier.
Critics in Vietnam and Indonesia have questioned the legitimacy of their Malaysian ancestry.
Machuca, Holgado and Garcés are from Argentina; Figueiredo is Brazilian; and Irazabal is Spanish. So far, only Garcés has publicly stated that his Malaysian heritage comes through his grandmother.
Under head coach Peter Cklamovski, Malaysia currently top Group F with six points, ahead of Vietnam and Laos (three points each) and Nepal (zero).
Malaysia opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Nepal in March, followed by their dominant performance against Vietnam. – July 5, 2025
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