James Carragher And Swiss League Winger Eligible To Play For Malta Next Month
Wigan Athletic defender James Carragher, the son of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, and FC Sion winger Ilyas Chouaref are both eligible to play for Malta next month.
Malta Football Association President Bjorn Vassallo confirmed during a press conference that both players will be available for selection when newly appointed Malta manager Emilio De Leo announces his first squad next month.
Carragher, 22, has played 20 times for League 1 side Wigan this month, scoring one goal against Bristol Rovers. He acquired Maltese citizenship by descent through his grandmother, who is a Maltese citizen.
Chouaref, 24, was born in France but qualifies for Maltese citizenship by descent. His ancestors had moved to Morocco, where their Maltese surname Xuereb ended up becoming Chouaref. He has played 24 games for Swiss Super League club FC Sion this season, scoring six goals.
Vassallo said that around 60 male and female Maltese passport holders currently play at different development levels in foreign leagues.
The Malta national team is next in action next month when they kick off their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign with games against Finland and Poland.
Will we improve our performances this year?
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