Nelson Sale to Vanuatu national team?

Recently Oceania Football Center reported that the Galaxy FC defender Nelson Sale Kilifa granted the Ni-Vanuatu citizenship after a long career in the country playing for clubs as Amicale and Nalkutan. For this reason, Galaxy can count with Sale Kilifa as a local player in the OFC Champions League 2020, opening another slot for a foreigner.

After the release of the report, many football fans got excited with the news expecting the defender could also represent Vanuatu internationally in the upcoming tournaments the Ni-Vanuatu side will play.

Unfortunately for the Ni-Vanuatu fans, the only good news are only for Galaxy that will get free a slot for an international player in the next Champions League. Nelson Sale already played 35 times for his home country Solomon Islands – including the last two OFC Nations Cup editions. According to FIFA regulations, a player can only represent one country internationally at senior level – once the player featured in an official international match – FIFA or OFC tournaments – he can not play for any other national team in the future.

The experienced defender is being key for Galaxy in the Port Vila Premier League after ten years playing in Vanuatu. He also played his club football in New Zealand and also in homeland Solomon Islands.