Ludogorets midfielder Ivan Zhelizko is now a Polish citizen. The Ukrainian footballer received his Polish passport at a ceremony attended by his entire family. Zhelizko has Polish roots, as his grandmother and grandfather were born in the country.
The new document raises the question of whether the midfielder could become part of Poland's national team. Zhelizko has already played for Ukraine's youth national teams, and according to a report by „Telegraf“, the Polish Football Association is considering the possibility of calling him up to the senior team.
Obtaining Polish citizenship in itself does not mean that Zhelizko can automatically play for Poland. FIFA's rules on changing national teams depend on the matches in which the footballer has participated, when he obtained his new citizenship and whether he has played official matches for the respective federation at senior level.
Therefore, the final decision will depend on Zhelizko's specific status and the procedure before the football authorities. At this stage, his citizenship has been confirmed, but a possible call-up for Poland has not.
Zhelizko is well known to Lechia Gdańsk fans, from whom Ludogorets signed him. His time in Poland gave the midfielder a connection to the country from which his grandparents originate, and now the Polish passport could also have implications for his club status.
As a citizen of a European Union member state, Zhelizko no longer occupies a non-EU player quota in Ludogorets' squad. This is a practical benefit for the Razgrad club, regardless of whether the midfielder will get the opportunity to play for Poland.
If he is allowed to join the Polish national team, Zhelizko could play alongside Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zieliński. Before him, Jacek Góralski, Jakub Świerczok and Jakub Piotrowski played for Poland while at Ludogorets.