ABSTRACT
Football is often considered as an activity which has developed hand in hand with the process of globalization. Identity issues deriving from the migration of athletes in team sports can firstly be related to the perception that the presence of players imported from abroad threatens the process of identification for supporters of clubs located in that specific living area. While individuals involved within transfer networks know the risks for a player to migrate at a very young age, competition for talent and financial considerations drive the general lowering of the age of international migration. While migration is often a prerequisite for access to the wealthiest leagues, international migration can prove to be detrimental to long-term career success. In a business sector which involves the movement of players as both workers and human beings, it is essential that football governing bodies and state authorities collaborate to ensure the enforcement of existing rules on transfer and labour rights.
