International Football
English Premiership player runs into trouble with his native government
Harry Birtwistle, a young Singapore-born footballer who on Wednesday (Oct 27) signed professional terms with English Premier League (EPL) club Wolverhampton Wanderers, applied to renounce his citizenship, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) on Friday (Oct 29).
A Mindef spokesman added that this application was denied.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, she also said that the player, who moved from Singapore to Britain in 2017 at the age of 13, is living abroad without a valid exit permit and “has committed offences under the Enlistment Act”.
Under the act, national service (NS) is a mandatory conscription and duty that every male citizen and permanent resident must undertake upon attaining the age of 18. Birtwistle turns 18 in December.
“Mr Birtwistle’s parents applied to renounce his Singapore citizenship,” said the spokesman, adding the application was rejected “as renunciation should not be used as a means to evade NS (National Service) duties”.
She added that in the family’s correspondence with the ministry, “they had stated that Mr Birtwistle will not be registering for NS”.
“Since then, Mr Birtwistle failed to register for NS as required. He is also staying overseas without a valid exit permit. Mr Birtwistle has committed offences under the Enlistment Act.”
Birtwistle, whose father John is British and mother Rachel is Chinese Singaporean, was born in Singapore and lived here until he was 13. He moved to England to chase his dream of being an EPL player, signing a scholarship with Wolves shortly after his arrival in 2017.
The senior Birtwistle told ST that he had requested deferment from NS for Harry from 2017 with a likelihood of the teenager giving up his Singapore passport when he turned 21. But this was denied.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s website states that a Singapore citizen can only renounce his citizenship if he is aged 21 and above, is of sound mind and has acquired the citizenship of another country.
However, it adds that the Government may reject the renunciation by a male citizen if he has enjoyed citizenship privileges and has outstanding NS obligations.
Birtwistle senior said the preference for Harry to keep his British passport was because of strict work permit rules in England.
“Retaining his United Kingdom passport and British citizenship are essential to pursue a professional football career in the EPL, given the points-based work permit requirements applicable on all non-UK citizens, which were made even more stringent post-Brexit.”
He explained that he had made the decisions as a father that “only wanted the best” for his son and stressed that “Harry himself has never wanted to renounce his citizenship nor intentionally skip NS”.
Harry has “deep roots” in Singapore, he said, with his mother and his two young siblings still residing here, as well as extended family and friends. He has long wanted to represent the Singapore national team.
John said that both he and Rachel are “100 per cent in agreement and fully aligned” regarding their son’s pursuit of an elite football career, despite divorcing in 2008.
He added that he and his ex-wife are “most grateful for the support shown from the Singapore public towards Harry in recent days” and hope that the focus will shift towards Birtwistle’s football pursuits.
“Life is short and bittersweet for us all. Perhaps it’s wise to focus on the positives which can hopefully influence others to strive for their goals and live their dream,” he said.
Harry has featured mainly for Wolves’ Under-23 team that plays in the Premier League 2, but has been training with Wolves’ first team “about once or twice a week” since the season began in August.
Coached by Portuguese Bruno Lage, Wolves are 11th in the 20-team EPL after nine games.
Birtwistle’s situation mirrors that of Ben Davis, another footballer playing professionally in England.
Davis, now 20, was born in Phuket to a Thai mother and an English father and moved to Singapore with his family at age five before becoming a citizen four years later.
Having represented Singapore at youth level, he was called up to the senior national team in March 2018 but did not earn a cap. In July that year, he signed professional terms with Fulham, where he had been on a scholarship for a year.
-The Straits Times
Nigeria’s Super Eagles put up a spirited performance but were edged 2-1 by Portugal in an international friendly at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria on Wednesday night.
The match served as Portugal’s final tune-up ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and offered the Nigerians a chance to test themselves against one of Europe’s leading sides led by veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal drew first blood in the 23rd minute when Pedro Neto broke the deadlock, firing past Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after a lively opening period in which both teams created opportunities.
The Super Eagles responded positively and were rewarded eight minutes before halftime when striker Akor Adams found the equaliser. The goal capped an impressive Nigerian fightback and ensured the teams went into the break level at 1-1.
Ronaldo, making a rare appearance against Nigeria, started the match and remained on the pitch until the 67th minute. The 41-year-old was given a standing ovation by the home crowd when he was replaced by Gonçalo Ramos.
Portugal made several changes after the interval as coach Roberto Martinez rotated his squad in preparation for the World Cup. Despite the substitutions, the hosts continued to press for a winner.
Their persistence paid off in the 75th minute when Francisco Conceição struck the decisive goal, restoring Portugal’s lead and ultimately securing victory for the European side.
Nigeria battled to find another equaliser in the closing stages but Portugal’s defence held firm to preserve the 2-1 result.
The defeat means Portugal have now won both meetings between the two countries. Their first encounter came in Lisbon in November 2022, when the Portuguese recorded a convincing 4-0 victory in a pre-World Cup friendly.
While the result will disappoint Nigerian supporters, the Super Eagles can take encouragement from their resilient display against one of the teams widely tipped to make a strong impact at the World Cup. Akor Adams’ goal and Nigeria’s competitive showing against a star-studded Portuguese side provided positive signs as the team continues its rebuilding process under the national team set-up.
For Portugal, the victory provides a confidence boost as they head to North America, where they hope their talented midfield and experienced squad can propel them to a successful World Cup campaign.
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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the starting line-up when the Selecao take on Nigeria in an international friendly match which kicks off in a few minutes tonight.
The 41-year-old forward, who remains a key figure in the Portuguese national team, has been named among the starters as Portugal continue preparations for upcoming competitive fixtures.
Ronaldo’s inclusion is expected to add further excitement to the encounter, with Nigerian fans eager to see one of football’s greatest players in action against the Super Eagles.
The match offers Nigeria another opportunity to test themselves against top European opposition, while Portugal will look to sharpen their squad ahead of future international assignments.
Kick-off is scheduled for later tonight, with both teams expected to field strong line-ups in what promises to be an entertaining contest.
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By Kunle Solaja
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Portugal will meet for only the second time at the senior level when they clash in an international friendly in Leiria on Wednesday night.
The encounter comes under remarkably similar circumstances to their first meeting in November 2022, when Portugal defeated Nigeria 4-0 in Lisbon just days before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Once again, Portugal are using Nigeria as their final warm-up match before the World Cup. Four years ago, the Portuguese selected the Super Eagles to prepare for a group-stage clash against Ghana, the team that denied Nigeria a place at Qatar 2022.
History appears to be repeating itself. This time, Portugal are preparing for a World Cup opening fixture against the Democratic Republic of Congo, another team that shattered Nigeria’s World Cup ambitions by eliminating the Super Eagles from the qualification race.
The match at the 29,000-capacity Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa offers Nigeria an opportunity to avenge the heavy defeat suffered four years ago and test themselves against one of Europe’s strongest sides.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has assembled a star-studded squad featuring five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rafael Leão and João Félix.
The Portuguese head into the encounter unbeaten in their last four matches, having recorded victories over the United States and Chile while drawing with Mexico.
Nigeria, under coach Eric Chelle, have also enjoyed an impressive run. Since taking charge 15 months ago, the Franco-Malian tactician has overseen 24 matches and suffered only one defeat in regulation time.
With both teams carrying impressive recent records, Wednesday’s friendly promises to be far more competitive than the scoreline from their last meeting suggests.
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