Why does Ivanildo Cassamá play for Guinea-Bissau?
Born in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · Citizenship: Portugal
Short answer
Ivanildo Cassamá plays for Guinea-Bissau because he holds Bissau-Guinean nationality and chose to represent the country at senior level (first senior call-up on record: 2010).
Birthplace and citizenship
Ivanildo Cassamá was born in Guinea-Bissau.
International career path
His international pathway, as recorded on Wikidata:
He only played youth football for Portugal Olympic, Portugal U16, Portugal U17, Portugal U19, Portugal U20 and Portugal U21. Youth caps do not tie a player to a country, so he was free to choose Guinea-Bissau for senior football.
- Portugal U16 — under-16 level, 2002 (7 matches, 3 goals)
- Portugal U17 — under-17 level, 2002–2003 (15 matches, 6 goals)
- Portugal U19 — under-19 level, 2004–2005 (15 matches, 1 goal)
- Portugal U21 — under-21 level, 2005–2007 (9 matches, 0 goals)
- Portugal Olympic — under-23 level, 2006 (1 match, 0 goals)
- Portugal U20 — under-20 level, 2007 (3 matches, 0 goals)
- Guinea-Bissau — senior level, 2010–present
The rules in brief
A player can represent a country if they hold its nationality and have a genuine link to it: birth on its territory, a parent or grandparent born there, or several years of residency. Youth matches do not tie a player to a country. Since 2020, FIFA also lets a player switch once after a small number of senior appearances (no more than three, all before turning 21, none at a World Cup or continental finals) after a three-year wait.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Ivanildo Cassamá play for Guinea-Bissau?
Ivanildo Cassamá holds Bissau-Guinean nationality and chose to represent Guinea-Bissau at senior level.
Where was Ivanildo Cassamá born?
Ivanildo Cassamá was born in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
What nationality is Ivanildo Cassamá?
Wikidata lists Ivanildo Cassamá as a citizen of Portugal.