Wigan Athletic star ready to face off against his Liverpool heroes - 'To look back and say I played against them is a massive thing for me'

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season with Latics, having nailed down a first-team spot under both Shaun Maloney and Ryan Lowe on the right-hand side of defence.

And his performances have also led to him gatecrashing the international stage - in the unlikely colours of Malta!

Having qualified through his grandad, Paul Vassalo - who was born in Malta, but later moved to Bootle - Carragher made his first two appearances in March against Finland and Poland.

The second of those games saw him marking one of the greatest players of his generation in Robert Lewandowski, the Barcelona and former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund marksman.

Carragher even managed to come away with Lewandowski's shirt after the game for his personal collection, and he will be hoping to add to that next month.

Malta have an upcoming double-header against Lithuania and Holland - the latter of which will be a dream come true for Liverpool fanatic Carragher, whose dad Jamie lies second on the club's all-time appearance list.

"The family are all booked on that, Holland away, there'll be a good crowd from Liverpool going over for that one," smiled Carragher junior, whose two grandads watch Latics home and away to support their grandson.

"Being a big Liverpool fan myself, there's not only (Virgil) Van Dijk, but (Ryan) Gravenberch and (Cody) Gakpo...and that's a big reason why I am playing for Malta.

"I just want to test myself against the best centre-backs in the world...Van Dijk's probably one of the best centre-backs ever. To look back and say I played against them is a massive thing for me."

Carragher's decision to represent Malta may have raised eyebrows in some circles, but it's already been made abundantly clear the advantages of honouring his grandad's heritage.

The player also says his dad's sometimes difficult international career with England - which saw him retire early for 'family reasons', due to spending so much time on the bench waiting for an opportunity - didn't come into it.

"It didn't come into it to be honest...at the moment, I'm probably not going to get called up for England," he said. "I think it was just a case of: If you can do it right now, then just do it, you never know what's going to happen in your career.

"Not too long ago, with my injuries, it just gave me the thought of just doing thing for now. Last year was a really tough year for me. I was almost going to stop playing at one point, and then all of a sudden I'm playing against Lewandowski...it's crazy.

"I'm one of those people who doesn't really look back too much, whatever's happened has happened, and the most important thing is what's coming next. To be able to play against these top players and these top teams now...that was driving me on...and my dad was driving me on to do it as well."

Malta squad for matches against Lithuania (June 7, Ta' Qali) and Holland (June 10, Groningen):

Goalkeepers: Rashed Al Tumi (Sheriff Tiraspol), Henry Bonello (Hamrun Spartans), James Sissons (Melita), Matthias Debono (Naxxar Lions).

Defenders: Zach Muscat (Sanliurfaspor), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana), Juan Carlos Corbalan (Marsaxlokk), James Lee Carragher (Wigan Athletic), Steve Borg (Hamrun Spartans), Kurt Shaw (Hibernians), Enrico Pepe (Gżira United), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers), Neil Micallef (Birkirkara), Gabriel Mentz (Gżira United), Ryan Camenzuli (Hamrun Spartans), Myles Beerman (Sliema Wanderers).

Midfielders: Matthew Guillaumier (FKS Stal Mielec Spolka Akcyjna), Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara), Jake Azzopardi (Valletta), Dunstan Vella (Floriana), Teddy Teuma (Stade de Reims), Jake Grech (Floriana), Steven Pisani (Sliema Wanderers).

Forwards: Joseph E Mbong (Hamrun Spartans), Adam Magri Overend (Sliema Wanderers), Jodi Jones (Notts County), Paul Mbong (Birkirkara), Jurgen Degabriele (Hibernians), Basil Tenywa Tuma (Reading), Kemar Reid (Birkirkara), Kyrian Nwoko (Sliema Wanderers), Joshua Pitts (Ipswich Town), Gunner Elliott (Chesterfield).