Bruneian club keen to sign controversial striker Holgado
KUALA LUMPUR: Rodrigo Holgado, one of the seven heritage players embroiled in Malaysia’s naturalisation scandal, is expected to join Bruneian club DPMM FC.
KUALA LUMPUR: Bruneian club DPMM FC is set to sign controversial striker Rodrigo Holgado, who finds himself at the center of Malaysia's naturalisation scandal. DPMM revealed on their website: "Malaysian goal machine Rodrigo Holgado is nearing to sign for DPMM FC." The striker will be eligible for registration with the club starting January 5, 2027, when the second registration window opens.
Prior to joining DPMM, Holgado played for American side America de Cali in the Colombian Primera A, and Coquimbo in the Chilean Primera Division. In the 2018 season, he was the top scorer for Coquimbo with 18 goals, and repeated that feat in his 2024/2025 season with America de Cali. FIFA imposed a 12-month ban on Holgado and six other foreign-born players in late 2025 due to their involvement in false ancestry documents, claiming Malaysian eligibility.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that these suspensions only apply to official matches and not all football-related activities. Holgado's ban is set to expire in November, allowing him to return to competitive football ahead of the January transfer window.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
