After his fourth international appearance for the Austrian national team, it is now also officially certain that Yusuf Demir will no longer be able to change nations.
Yusuf Demir is considered one of the greatest Austrian talents of the recent past. No wonder, then, that the 18-year-old aroused the covetousness of both the ÖFB and the Turkish federation. The Barcelona legionnaire made his first appearance for a national team on 28 March this year in the Austrian jersey, after which it was admitted in his parents’ home country that they may not have invested enough time in Demir.
As of Saturday, it is now officially certain that a change of nation is no longer possible for the teenager. Demir made a short appearance in the Faroe Islands and played his fourth match for Franco Foda’s team. According to FIFA criteria, a U-21 player may not have played more than three senior internationals for one nation in order to play for another country later on – the option of Turkey is therefore history for Demir as of Saturday.
So far, Demir has played a total of 43 minutes for the Austrian Football Association. The next opportunity for the 18-year-old to prove his skills for a little longer could come on Tuesday: Austria will then face Denmark away in the World Cup qualifiers.