Trinidad & Tobago will not be able to call upon the services of defender Jlloyd Samuel for their two-legged World Cup play-off clash with Bahrain this month.
The Aston Villa full-back had expressed an interest in playing for Leo Beenhakker's side as they strive to qualify for next summer's World Cup finals in Germany.But with the 24-year-old having already represented England at both Under-21 and Under-18 levels, FIFA - the game's world governing body - have ruled he cannot switch associations.
A FIFA statute says any player of dual citizenship who has represented a country at a younger age group must make his request to play for another nation before he turns 21.
Heinz Tannler, FIFA's director of legal division, said: "We have noted that the player has not performed for the 'A' team of the English FA. We understood, however, that the player was born on March 29, 1981.
"In principle, a player may only once request changing the association for which he is eligible to play international matches, but only up to his 21st birthday.
"For this reason, the 24-year-old Samuel is not entitled to this decision."
Samuel had hoped to follow the lead set by Sevilla striker Fredi Kanoute, who played for Mali as a 26-year-old despite having represented France at Under-21 level.
But that loophole had only been allowed in a one-year window, which ended in October last year.
The first leg of Trinidad & Tobago's play-off with Bahrain takes place on November 12, with the return match being held four days later.
