Big concern at Videna after Gianluca Lapadula's injury
Gianluca Lapadula was operated on and will be out for 3 to 5 months. With this news, the big question arises. Who will replace him for the first matches of the Eliminations? Is Bernardo Cuesta eligible for the national team?
Bernardo Cuesta fulfilled the requirements for Peruvian nationality
The Argentine-Peruvian forward managed to meet all the requirements to obtain Peruvian nationality. Therefore, he won't occupy a foreigner spot in FBC Melgar for the 2023 season. However, does this mean he will be called up to the national team?
Can Bernardo Cuesta be called up to Peru?
According to FIFA's statutes, Bernardo Cuesta cannot be called up by the Peruvian national team under Juan Reynoso for the start of the 2026 Eliminations. Why is that?
According to the section "Eligibility to play for national teams," there are requirements that the Melgar footballer does not meet to be called up to the national team. One of them is that he must have lived in Peru for at least 183 days after obtaining his nationality.
"Without prejudice to art. 5, para. 4 a), unless exceptional circumstances exist, the player must physically be present in the territory of the federation for at least 183 days in a twelve-month period for it to be considered that "he has lived (…) in the territory" of said federation that year", as stated in FIFA's statutes.
How would Bernardo Cuesta lose his right to be called up?
FIFA considers the period of physical presence in a federation country interrupted if the following cases occur:
- The player is transferred to a club affiliated with another federation
- The player is absent from the country for reasons other than those provided for
Which forwards can be called up to the Peruvian national team?
With Gianluca Lapadula's injury, the names being mentioned in the Peruvian national team circle are Alex Valera, Raúl Ruidíaz, and Paolo Guerrero.