Libya are considering naturalising foreign strikers playing in their domestic league as they seek to address their attacking problems before facing Tunisia twice in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in November.
Head coach Youssef Dabo has reportedly asked the Libyan Football Federation to strengthen the team’s forward options after a disappointing run of results left the Knights of the Mediterranean struggling in their qualifying group.
Libya’s difficulties in front of goal were highlighted by their recent 1-0 defeat by Uganda, a result that left them bottom of their group with just one point. Their failure to convert important scoring opportunities has increased concerns within the coaching staff ahead of the next international break.
According to sources cited by WinWin, Dabo has communicated his urgent need for additional attacking options to the federation, prompting discussions about the possibility of recruiting eligible foreign-born players through naturalisation.
The proposal would involve identifying talented strikers currently playing in Libya who meet the necessary technical requirements and could potentially become eligible to represent the national team under the applicable rules.
The Libyan Football Federation is said to be receptive to the idea and has begun assessing possible candidates. However, no names have been made public, with the selection process understood to be focused on finding a forward capable of improving the team’s attacking performance.
The potential move comes at a difficult time for Libya, who need to improve their results if they are to strengthen their position in the race to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The two upcoming matches against Tunisia are expected to be particularly important as Dabo and his technical team attempt to find a solution to the team’s lack of goals.
Naturalising foreign players would not be an entirely new approach for Libyan football. The national team previously used the strategy in 2003, when Uruguayan goalkeeper Luis Alejandro Agustín was granted Libyan nationality.
Agustín subsequently represented Libya at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt, providing a precedent for the country’s consideration of naturalised players.
The current proposal, however, is focused on addressing the team’s attacking weaknesses rather than strengthening another area of the squad.
With the November qualifiers approaching, the coaching staff and federation are looking at possible ways to improve the team’s scoring threat and give Libya a better chance of competing for qualification.
Whether the naturalisation plan produces a new option for Dabo remains to be seen, as the federation continues to assess potential candidates ahead of the decisive fixtures against Tunisia.
