Historical moment for Surinamese football
Suriname coach Dean Gorre and the names of the selected players.
PARAMARIBO, March 19, 2021 - Surinamese football will mark a historic moment. For the first time in history, diaspora players will be used in a World Cup qualifying match. This is now possible due to the fact that FIFA has adjusted its rules regarding playing for your country of origin.
Suriname came closest to a World Cup during the qualifying round for the 1978 World Cup. The Concacaf matches were then played in Mexico and the 6 best countries in the region competed against each other in a half round. Besides the host country, Suriname, Haiti, Canada, El Salvador and Guatemala also participated in this tournament. Only the winner qualified for the World Cup in Argentina, and Suriname then finished in last place after losing all games.
In the past, the question was often asked internationally as to why Suriname was of no significance on the world forum, while the Netherlands, with players of Surinamese descent, got the world at its feet with sparkling football. Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids are some of the many names who have performed at top level for the national selection of the Netherlands, and their clubs.
It was therefore logical that people wondered why the Surinamese selection never played a significant role in the international football circuit.
Has the time now come for Suriname to play a significant role in the region, now that footballers who play football in Europe or elsewhere in the world are allowed to represent our country?
Dean Gorre was recruited in 2015 to take the Surinamese team to a higher level. His first phase did not last long as Suriname was eliminated by Nicaragua for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, after which he left for Europe. In 2018 he was again appointed as national coach and during this period the Surinamese Football Association, SVB did everything in its power to implement a law in Suriname that accepted dual nationality.
The idea in itself was not crazy, but this proposal met with a lot of technical resistance. The question was raised, among other things, whether this law would only apply to football players? Sanctioning such a law would mean that Surinamese with a different passport would also have the same rights as those who stayed in Suriname.
A change in the regulations of FIFA brought light to the horizon for the SVB. Players who had played three official international matches for a certain country until the age of 21 could then still switch. This also applied to matches in qualifications or final tournaments. In this way, FIFA wants to prevent players with dual nationalities from being called up at a young age, getting a few minutes of play and then no longer being able to choose another country.
Before the new rule came into effect, Dean Gorre was busy to see which players were interested in playing for Suriname. This made it easy to put together a team for the upcoming qualifying matches that he thinks could be fought for a higher place in the region.
The national coach now has 17 diaspora players who, together with 4 Surinamese professional football players and 3 local players, form the basis of the selection. Gorre indicated that it should not be assumed that players from the diaspora are the formula for success, but that hard work will have to be done to achieve the set goals. He looks forward to the fact that in the future players will no longer choose the Netherlands, but Suriname will be their first choice.
So March 24 is the big day when the kick-off takes place at 7:00 p.m. local time against the Cayman Islands. Three days later, the away game against Aruba in Branderton, Florida follows. On June 4 and 8, the selection will face Bermuda and Canada, respectively, the strongest opponents on paper. Surviving the first round will be a huge step for Surinamese football.
Time will tell what significant role Suriname will play in the region. In any case, the first step has been taken.
Suriname came closest to a World Cup during the qualifying round for the 1978 World Cup. The Concacaf matches were then played in Mexico and the 6 best countries in the region competed against each other in a half round. Besides the host country, Suriname, Haiti, Canada, El Salvador and Guatemala also participated in this tournament. Only the winner qualified for the World Cup in Argentina, and Suriname then finished in last place after losing all games.
In the past, the question was often asked internationally as to why Suriname was of no significance on the world forum, while the Netherlands, with players of Surinamese descent, got the world at its feet with sparkling football. Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids are some of the many names who have performed at top level for the national selection of the Netherlands, and their clubs.
It was therefore logical that people wondered why the Surinamese selection never played a significant role in the international football circuit.
Has the time now come for Suriname to play a significant role in the region, now that footballers who play football in Europe or elsewhere in the world are allowed to represent our country?
Dean Gorre was recruited in 2015 to take the Surinamese team to a higher level. His first phase did not last long as Suriname was eliminated by Nicaragua for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, after which he left for Europe. In 2018 he was again appointed as national coach and during this period the Surinamese Football Association, SVB did everything in its power to implement a law in Suriname that accepted dual nationality.
The idea in itself was not crazy, but this proposal met with a lot of technical resistance. The question was raised, among other things, whether this law would only apply to football players? Sanctioning such a law would mean that Surinamese with a different passport would also have the same rights as those who stayed in Suriname.
A change in the regulations of FIFA brought light to the horizon for the SVB. Players who had played three official international matches for a certain country until the age of 21 could then still switch. This also applied to matches in qualifications or final tournaments. In this way, FIFA wants to prevent players with dual nationalities from being called up at a young age, getting a few minutes of play and then no longer being able to choose another country.
Before the new rule came into effect, Dean Gorre was busy to see which players were interested in playing for Suriname. This made it easy to put together a team for the upcoming qualifying matches that he thinks could be fought for a higher place in the region.
The national coach now has 17 diaspora players who, together with 4 Surinamese professional football players and 3 local players, form the basis of the selection. Gorre indicated that it should not be assumed that players from the diaspora are the formula for success, but that hard work will have to be done to achieve the set goals. He looks forward to the fact that in the future players will no longer choose the Netherlands, but Suriname will be their first choice.
So March 24 is the big day when the kick-off takes place at 7:00 p.m. local time against the Cayman Islands. Three days later, the away game against Aruba in Branderton, Florida follows. On June 4 and 8, the selection will face Bermuda and Canada, respectively, the strongest opponents on paper. Surviving the first round will be a huge step for Surinamese football.
Time will tell what significant role Suriname will play in the region. In any case, the first step has been taken.
News from the same category
Video gallery
Let's Talk to the IOC Presidential Candidates
Let's Talk to IOC Presidential Candidate Lord Sebastian Coe
