James Carragher's Journey to International Football with Malta

Not many League One defenders can claim to have faced one of the best strikers in world football, but James Carragher can—and he has the shirt to prove it.

James Carragher, a defender for Wigan Athletic and the son of former Liverpool and England centre-back Jamie Carragher, qualifies to play for Malta through his great-grandfather. He made his international debut for Malta earlier this year.

He earned his second cap in an away match against Poland, where Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski came on as a second-half substitute while the hosts led 2-0.

"I was disappointed that he wasn’t starting, and I wanted to see him play; I was a bit gutted," Carragher told BBC Radio Manchester in March. "When I saw he was coming on, I thought at least I can say I’ve played against him, and I got his shirt after the game. I’ve got my own shirt from the first game, then his from the second one, and hopefully, it’s something I will keep for a long time."

As Carragher approaches his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, he may have another opportunity to face Lewandowski—who has scored 87 international goals in 161 caps and is a former Champions League winner with Bayern Munich—when Malta hosts Poland in a World Cup qualifier on Monday. Before that, Carragher and his teammates will play against Finland on Friday.

James Carragher's Path to Representing Malta

Jamie Carragher, a one-club man, made 737 appearances for Liverpool, winning numerous titles including the Champions League, UEFA Cup, two FA Cups, and three League Cups, alongside earning 38 caps for England.

James initially followed in his father's footsteps, joining Liverpool's youth academy at the age of eight before moving to Wigan's academy six years later. He made his professional debut for the Latics at 18.

After loan spells at Oldham Athletic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in Scotland, Carragher's breakthrough season at Wigan came in 2024-25, leading to unexpected international recognition.

"It’s something I didn’t expect a few months ago," Carragher said after his international debut. "The Malta Football Association contacted my dad and my agent to confirm my eligibility, and once that was sorted, it was a no-brainer for me to play. It’s through my great-granddad, who was born there and lived there before moving to Liverpool. My nan and dad had visited before, but it was my first time there, and I ended up playing for the national team, which was quite an experience."

Both Jamie and James received Maltese citizenship in February, with James making his home World Cup qualifier debut a month later, where Malta narrowly lost 1-0 to Finland, followed by their match against Poland just three days later in front of over 45,000 fans.

A Challenging Learning Experience with Remarkable Moments

Like his father, Carragher is a tall and strong centre-back who can also play as a full-back. He also participated in Malta's goalless qualifier against Lithuania in June.

However, his last international outing was challenging, as Malta suffered an 8-0 defeat to a dominant Netherlands team, featuring Premier League stars like Virgil van Dijk, Xavi Simons, Donyell Malen, and Micky van de Ven among the scorers.

After a thigh injury sidelined him for over two months in August, Carragher returned to action, playing in Wigan's last three games, which led to his international recall for Malta's qualifiers against Finland and Poland.

In an interview with the Wigan Post, Carragher expressed his "100% pride" in representing Malta. He added, "I was thrilled with the games I’ve played. Some have gone well, and some haven’t, but it’s just an unbelievable experience. I’ve always felt a connection to Malta through my family, but I didn’t know I could actually play for them."

'Team Carragher' Supporting James on His Football Journey

As James embarks on his football career, his proud father Jamie is there to support him every step of the way, along with other family members.

Now a football pundit for Sky Sports and CBS Sports, Jamie Carragher spoke about the pride and tension he felt watching James make his international debut. "We had a proper trip; it was the Carraghers on tour," Jamie shared on The Overlap podcast. "I wasn’t nervous, but I could see my dad was a bit anxious since it was a big game. Lewandowski came on, and James had to face him for the last 20 minutes."

On CBS Sports in April, Jamie added, "When your son is playing, you’re completely focused—there’s no time for laughing or joking. I’d give him a seven out of ten for his first game against Finland and an eight out of ten for his performance against Poland, considering the tough opponents in a big stadium—it was a fantastic experience."

Wherever James Carragher's career leads, his footballing father will be there, proudly cheering him on. Carragher Sr. remarked, "Team Carragher, the Carra clan, is on the march to Malta and across Europe."

James Carragher's Journey to International Football with Malta

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