Kalou moved to Holland in 2003 at the age of 17

The chances of Ivory Coast international Bonaventure Kalou playing against his brother Salomon at the World Cup finals moved a step closer on Wednesday.

Ivorian-born Salomon Kalou's initial application for Dutch citizenship was rejected last August but a high court has now ruled that the Netherlands' immigration minister must reconsider the request.

In Amsterdam on Wednesday, the Council of State, the nation's highest body for administrative law, upheld lower court rulings in December that Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk had not given enough justification for rejecting Kalou's application.

The court ordered Verdonk to begin a new review of the 20-year-old's case, adding: 'this doesn't mean that Kalou will definitely receive an accelerated naturalization'.

The Council of State's decision is final and binding.

Van Basten supports Kalou fight

Holland national coach Marco van Basten has argued that Kalou, who plays for Feyenoord, would be an important addition to his squad for June's World Cup finals in Germany.

The Dutch have been drawn against Argentina, Serbia and Montenegro as well as Salomon Kalou's homeland, Ivory Coast.

With Bonaventure Kalou a regular fixture in the Elephants' national team, and Salomon Kalou a possibility for the Dutch squad, the brothers could play against each other when the teams clash in Stuttgard on 16 June.

Salomon Kalou has scored 11 goals this season for Feyenoord, whom he joined in 2003 aged 17, with the Rotterdam side in a close race for the Dutch championship along with PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar.