Argentine Barrios bags Paraguay passport
Reuters - Thursday 08 April 2010, 23:27
ASUNCION - Borussia Dortmund's Argentine
striker Lucas Barrios has obtained Paraguayan nationality
through a judicial ruling, opening the way for a possible World
Cup call-up.
"There is a resolution from March 25 ... a favourable
ruling," Judge Nery Kunzle told reporters in Asuncion referring
to the 25-year-old's request for Paraguayan nationality through
his mother.
Barrios, on course to be crowned the Bundesliga's top
scorer, said the news was a happy surprise although he played
down the chances of a call from Paraguay's Argentine coach
Gerardo Martino.
"I had no idea ... I'm a bit surprised and at the same
time feel proud if what's happening comes true," Barrios, who
made his reputation with Colo Colo in Chile and Mexico's Atlas,
told Primero de Marzo radio from Germany.
Kunzle said the request was put through by Sergio Godoy, a
lawyer with close links to the Paraguayan Football Association
national teams director Horacio Cartes.
At his club, Barrios, who joined Dortmund last year, plays
alongside Nelson Haedo, a striker who carries a large part of
Paraguay's World Cup hopes after Salvador Cabanas was shot in
the head in Mexico City in January.
Martino already has two Argentine-born players in his
squad, midfielders Jonathan Santana, a regular in the
qualifiers, and Nestor Ortigoza, naturalised late last year.
Follow FFT.com on Twitter
Join FFT.com on Facebook