German-Ivorian defender Jonathan Tah says choosing a national team must come from the heart amid fightback
Germany defender Jonathan Tah insists that choosing which national team to represent should come from genuine emotion and not external pressure or influence.
His comments follow renewed debate over young German-trained players opting to play for other nations, after 19-year-old Ibrahim Maza of Bayer Leverkusen announced his decision to represent Algeria.
Maza’s switch has reignited discussions within the German Football Association (DFB), whose officials have again suggested that clubs deserve compensation when players they develop choose another country.
Several similar cases have emerged in recent years. Among them is Can Uzun, born in Bavaria, who decided to play for Turkey’s senior side last year.
Tah himself could have represented the Ivory Coast through his father but says his mind was made up early in his career.
“For everyone it is an individual decision and everyone sees it differently. For me it is a decision of the heart,” Tah told a press conference ahead of Germany’s last two World Cup qualifiers.
“It did not take long. It happened when I was 17 (and was approached by the Ivory Coast). I quickly said no.
“I was going through all the German national youth teams and I wanted to play for Germany. It was an individual decision and I see it as a decision of the heart.”
Tah has made 41 international appearances and remains a key figure in Germany’s defensive setup.
He is expected to feature in their final two World Cup qualifiers, against Luxembourg on Friday and Slovakia next week, as Julian Nagelsmann’s team seeks to seal qualification for next year’s tournament.
Germany currently lead Group A on goal difference ahead of Slovakia, with Northern Ireland in third on six points and Luxembourg bottom.
The group winners qualify automatically, while the runners-up enter a playoff in March.
Asked whether he believed Germany would top the group, Tah’s reply was brief but confident: “No doubts, that’s the quick answer.”
