KUALA LUMPUR: KL City centre-back Giancarlo Gallifuoco has expressed his affection for Malaysia, nearly four years into his M-League stint.
The Sydney-born defender joined the City Boys from Melbourne Victory in February 2021 and played a pivotal role in their stunning Malaysia Cup victory that year, when they defeated giants Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) in the final.
A consistent performer for KL City, the 30-year-old stalwart also helped KL City finish runners-up at the 2022 AFC Cup.
"Four years, and Malaysia has become my home. I love you, Malaysia!" Gallifuoco declared in a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter).
The post, shared on Christmas Day, sparked discussions about Gallifuoco's potential availability for Harimau Malaya.
By February 2025, Gallifuoco will have completed four years of residency in Malaysia.
Proposed amendments to FIFA regulations could reduce the residency requirement for naturalisation from five years to four.
If approved, Gallifuoco could be eligible to represent Malaysia as early as the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in March.
Recently, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, suggested that JDT's Brazilian striker Bergson da Silva and Argentinian forward Manuel Hidalgo could be short-term naturalisation solutions for Malaysia.
Should FIFA revise its rules, Gallifuoco could emerge as a strong candidate to strengthen Harimau Malaya.