In 2021 he made just one appearance for Serbia in a friendly. Yet it was enough to block the Giallorossi goalkeeper
The best goalkeeper in the championship was left without the World Cup. And not due to professional demerits or arguments with the coach. The fact is that Mile Svilar, fresh winner of the award for best goalkeeper in Serie A for the second time in a row, will be forced to watch the competition, which will begin on June 11th in America, from some holiday resort or from the sofa at home. A paradox which however has an explanation and which Svilar’s lawyers hope to resolve in the coming months.
that presence with Serbia
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The Roma goalkeeper was born and raised in Belgium to Serbian parents. Here he went through all age categories, from U15 to U21. And so far nothing anomalous compared to other footballers with dual citizenship. But then Svilar makes a mistake that still pays off today. Under pressure from his father, Ratko Svilar, former goalkeeper of the Serbian national team, decides to answer the call of the senior Serbian national team in September 2021. It is in this context that Mile makes his debut, taking over in the second half during a friendly match with Qatar. A single presence, of which very few have memory. A debut which, for FIFA, counts as an official presence, and this is where the problems arise. Because after that match Svilar changes his mind. Ultimately he never felt Serbian and has always loved Belgium, which welcomed his family and where he made strong friendships among the youth team, first at Beerschot and then at Anderlecht (where he met, among others, Saelemaekers).
mile changes his mind
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Thus Svilar expressed his desire to represent Belgium at the table despite his father’s contrary opinion. But it’s too late. The FIFA regulations, in fact, cage him in the limbo in which he still finds himself today. After a debut in a senior national team, it is no longer possible to change federation and Belgium cannot therefore call him up despite Rudi Garcia’s will. At the same time, the possibilities of a new call from Serbia, resented by what happened and intending to no longer consider Svilar as its element, are running out. In recent months the goalkeeper’s lawyers have been working to try to obtain an exemption and allow Mile to be called up by Belgium for the American World Cup. Nothing to do. The matter will likely end up in court. Meanwhile, Svilar sees the first chance of his career to compete in a World Cup as Courtois’ second disappear.
golden vintage
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His performance, however, did not go unnoticed. The Roma player has been able to close the door with a clean sheet 18 times in the league, fewer only than Butez and David Raya in the top 5 European leagues. Like in Verona in that face-to-face meeting with Bowie who was a huge factor in the Champions League race. A figure that hasn’t been recorded since the 2013-2014 season when Morgan De Sanctis was defending the Giallorossi posts. For now, no offers have arrived in Trigoria, but some clubs, especially in the Premier League, are starting to move. Roma, however, after last year’s renewal, have no intention of giving up Svilar except for truly indispensable offers.
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