The end of Malaysian players scoring against Vietnam

Following FIFA's dismissal of the Football Association of Malaysia's appeal, Rodrigo Holgado—among seven players unlawfully naturalized and released by America de Cali—brought an uncertain future in his career to an end.

Issues surrounding the group of naturalized Malaysian players are drawing to a close as America de Cali (Colombia) confirmed it has begun the process of terminating the contract of striker Rodrigo Holgado, who was recently banned from international play for 12 months by FIFA for using fraudulent documents to obtain Malaysian nationality.

According to journalist Pipe Sierra, America de Cali made the decision just days after FIFA’s Appeals Committee officially rejected the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) appeal.

“The lawyers of America de Cali were instructed to immediately proceed with contract termination for Rodrigo Holgado. The club’s management wants to avoid any legal complications and protect the club’s image,” Pipe Sierra shared on social media platform X.

Holgado, 28 years old, joined America de Cali in 2024 with a two-year contract, expected to be a key player in the attack. However, his career collapsed after it was revealed he used forged documents to qualify for Malaysian nationality. FIFA determined that he and six other players deliberately committed fraud during the registration process to represent Malaysia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

FIFA’s ruling on September 26 not only banned Holgado from all football activities for 12 months but also fined him 2,000 Swiss francs (about 66 million VND). FAM was also fined 350,000 Swiss francs (equivalent to 1.9 million RM) for allowing these players to participate using invalid documents.

“This is devastating news for Rodrigo Holgado,” commented Colombia’s El País. “He not only lost his right to play internationally but also had his contract terminated by his club. Greed and deceit have destroyed his career.”

America de Cali affirmed that terminating the contract was necessary to protect the club’s reputation: “We respect international regulations and will not tolerate any fraudulent behavior,” a club representative stated.

With FIFA’s sanction, Rodrigo Holgado will be unable to compete in any official competitions for one year. If he fails to find a club willing to sign him after the suspension, the Argentine player will likely have to leave Colombia and face a global ban from playing.

Alongside Holgado, six other players involved include Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garcés, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel. Among them, Machuca’s case is the most regrettable—he played only 17 minutes in the 4-0 victory over Vietnam before being banned for a year.

The Malaysian naturalization scandal has not only ended the players’ careers but also severely damaged FAM’s international reputation. Although the association is preparing to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), experts believe the chances of a reduced sentence are very slim.

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