CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - African countries seeking to strengthen their squads for the African Nations Cup from the ranks of European-born talent have been handed an unusual and multiple brush off over the last days.
Bids to convince several exciting new players to pledge their international futures to the African country of their ancestry have been headed off in what could be the start of a more proactive approach from Europe to guard against poaching of their prospects. World champions Germany last week called up Karim Bellarabi to their squad for their Euro 2016 qualifiers in Poland and at home to Ireland, effectively stymying a bid by Morocco to have him play for them.