Equatorial Guinea’s all-time leading goalscorer, Emilio Nsue, has finally received clearance from FIFA to represent his country—more than a decade after making his senior debut for the African nation.
The decision comes as a surprise, especially after FIFA handed Nsue a six-month ban in May last year. At the time, football’s governing body ruled him ineligible for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, stating that he had never received the proper clearance to switch allegiance from Spain.
FIFA’s initial ruling stunned many, given that Nsue had already played 43 matches for Equatorial Guinea since his debut in 2013, scoring a record 22 goals. He even won the Golden Boot at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
However, in a major turnaround, FIFA has now approved a second request from Equatorial Guinea’s football federation, officially granting Nsue eligibility to continue representing the country—12 years after the federation first sought to resolve the issue.