James Carragher on Malta & playing against Poland’s Robert Lewandowski

Jamie Carragher was a one-club man and made 737 appearances for Liverpool, winning the Champions League, Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cup titles in a glittering career which also included 38 England caps.

James initially followed in his father’s footsteps and was on Liverpool’s books from the age of eight before moving to Wigan’s academy six years later, with his professional debut for the Latics coming at 18.

After loan spells at Oldham Athletic and in Scotland with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Carragher junior’s breakthrough season at Wigan came in 2024-25 – with a chance of international recognition then coming out of the blue.

“It’s something I didn’t expect a few months ago,” said Carragher after his international debut. “They [the Malta Football Association] got in touch with my dad and my agent to see if I was properly eligible and once that got cleared up it was a no-brainer for me to go and play.

“It’s through my great-grandad, my dad’s grandad, and he is from there, was born there, lived there and then moved over to Liverpool.

“My nan and dad had been there before but it was the first time I had been there, so the first time I went I ended up playing for them, so it was a bit of a mad experience.”

Both Jamie and James received Maltese citizenship in February, with James playing in a home World Cup qualifier a month later as Malta lost 1-0 to Finland – before the encounter with Poland three days later, in front of a crowd of more than 45,000.