Neustädter gets Russian passport ahead of Euro

The 28-year-old Schalke player has already played two international friendlies for Germany

MOSCOW: Twice-capped Germany international Roman Neustädter has received a Russian passport allowing the defender to play for the country at the Euro, a post on the national team's Twitter site announced on Monday.

The Twitter site posted a picture of the 28-year-old Schalke player holding up his new Russian passport at Russia's Consulate in Bonn.

Роман Нойштедтер получил российский паспорт! pic.twitter.com/ns9ADwQwZ3

— Сборная России (@TeamRussia) May 30, 2016

Neustädter -- who was born in the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk during the Soviet era -- has played two international friendlies for Germany, but that did not compromise his eligibility to play for Russia.



Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin decreed that Neustädter be granted Russian citizenship.

Russian manager Leonid Slutsky has included Neustädter on his 23-man squad for the European Championship which gets underway in France on June 10.

The squad also includes Brazilian-born goalkeeper Guilherme of Lokomotiv Moscow, who received Russian citizenship last year.



Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko said in January that the country was working to grant Neustädter a passport but that the process was not simple.

Russia, the host nation for the 2018 World Cup, have been drawn alongside England, Wales and Slovakia in Group B for Euro 2016.



Russia will play pre-tournament friendlies against the Czech Republic on June 1 before facing Serbia four days later.