Premier League star leaves Syria camp hours before World Cup qualifier and first match after row over his ‘demands’
MAHMOUD DAHOUD left Syria’s international camp just hours before a World Cup qualifier.
It came following an alleged row over “demands”, with the midfielder only confirming a swap of international allegiance from Germany to Syria earlier this month.
Dahoud is on loan to Bundesliga side Stuttgart from Brighton.
The 28-year-old played twice for Germany’s senior team and even won the Under-21 European Championships with them before he was allowed to switch nation.
However, things didn’t go as planned ahead what would have been his Syria international debut as Dahoud ended up leaving the team camp ahead of a match against Myanmar.
A statement from the Syrian FA said: “This morning, Mahmoud Dahoud left our national team camp at Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, due to our inability to meet his demands conveyed to us by his agent, which will affect the national team.”
Fortunately for the team they were able to get by, beating Myanmar 7-0.
It means Dahoud will have to wait to make his debut, possibly until June 6 when the Nosour Qasioun (Eagles of Qasioun) take on North Korea.
After leaving camp Dahoud also released a statement on the matter.
He said in a social media post: “As an experienced football professional… every player should be able to perform at his best to honour his country, his flag and his national team.
“To do this, every player should be put in the best possible conditions, especially on the pitch.
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“Top level football works with specific principles which need to be known, respected and fulfilled.
“When you don’t feel these principles and conditions are matched and the promises made are not fulfilled, you need to step back.
“If you’re not allowed to be a solution, at least you don’t have to be part of the problem.”
Dahoud only played 14 games for the Seagulls before he returned on loan to Germany.
Fifa rules for player international team switches say a player cannot switch nations if they have played more than three games for the nation they want to switch from.
These appearances need to have also come before the age of 21 for the switch to be allowed.
SunSport looked at seven England stars who remain eligible to switch to another nation, including Kobbie Mainoo and Anthony Gordon.