Ryan Naderi’s rise at Rangers has been one of the more eye-catching stories of the season so far, but while club form has taken care of itself, his international future remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo — this time on the international stage rather than the pitch.
Czech FA general manager Pavel Nedved, the former Juventus and Lazio star, has confirmed that the Czech Republic are actively trying to fast-track Naderi’s international eligibility, but admits red tape is holding things up. Naderi, 23, is eligible for three countries — Germany, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria, reflecting his Dresden upbringing and a Czech mother and Bulgarian father — and has already made clear his preference is to represent the Czechs. He was left out of new Spain manager Santi Denia’s most recent squad for Nations League fixtures against England, but Nedved says that’s not the end of the story, insisting Naderi remains firmly on the association’s radar.
The hold-up, according to Nedved, isn’t a footballing decision at all. Despite Naderi already holding Czech citizenship, he explained that the final administrative steps are still missing, with reports elsewhere indicating his Czech passport has yet to be formally issued in Prague — a prerequisite before he can be capped. It’s a frustrating twist for a player who has become one of the form strikers in Scottish football over the past month, with Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti both sidelined through injury, thrusting Naderi into a leading role he’s taken to impressively, including a standout display in Rangers’ 3-0 win over Celtic.
That form appears to be exactly why the Czech federation is pushing to get the paperwork sorted before their upcoming international window, which includes fixtures against England home and away as well as games with Spain and Croatia — the Czechs are looking to reset after a group-stage exit at the summer’s World Cup, and a mobile, physical forward in the kind of scoring form Naderi has shown would represent a timely boost. Nedved’s public comments are, in effect, an attempt to reassure both the player and Czech supporters that the interest is genuine and active, even if it can’t yet be translated into an actual call-up.
For Rangers, the situation is one to watch rather than worry about. Any international recognition for Naderi would be a reflection of the impact he’s had at Ibrox rather than a distraction from it, and gaining full international clearance — whenever the paperwork does eventually clear — would arguably raise his profile and market value further, continuing a theme that’s become familiar at Ibrox this season, with several first-team players attracting outside admiration on the back of strong individual form.
It’s also a reminder of how unusual Naderi’s international situation is compared to most of his teammates. Rather than waiting on a manager’s decision or fighting for a place in a settled national side, his path to a first cap is currently being held up by document processing — a very different kind of obstacle to the one most young footballers face on their way to representing their country. Nedved’s intervention suggests the Czech federation is treating it with genuine urgency, but until Naderi’s passport is formally issued in Prague, any involvement in this international window remains out of his hands entirely.
For now, Naderi’s focus stays firmly on Ibrox, where he continues to lead the line for Rangers through a congested run of fixtures, including this weekend’s derby trip to Celtic Park. Whatever happens with his international future, his club form shows no sign of being affected by the uncertainty — if anything, the frustration around the international delay may simply add extra motivation heading into Sunday’s Old Firm clash.
