Wigan Athletic starlet explains 'completely different' step up

The 22-year-old was rewarded for his breakthrough campaign in 2024-25 with his first caps for Malta - for whom he qualifies through his grandad - against Finland and Poland in March.

As the 'Knights of Malta' prepare to face Lithuania and Holland over the coming days, Carragher is relishing the prospect of continuing his own personal development.

"It's a completely different game, international football to club football," he assessed. "Probably the international standard is a better standard but, for me, I think it probably suits my game a little bit better.

"In the sense that one of my big attributes is reading the game, knowing when to step in, drop off, or move across. So at that level...I think across both the last two games, I only had to go for one header, which is mad for a centre-back.

"On an average Saturday, I'm probably going up for six in the first half, so it's a completely different game. But while it suits my game, at that level, if you make one little mistake, it's a goal, so you're always having to be on the ball and concentrating.

"In some ways it was quicker, but at the same time it was slower...it's just a weird, weird game...but overall it's been a great experience so far."

If one player in the Latics squad deserves to put his feet up after a long, gruelling campaign it's Carragher, who was singled out by previous boss Shaun Maloney as the stand-out in last summer's pre-season, and who has played in multiple positions over the last 12 months.

"I've played in back fours, back threes, I think I've played everywhere across the backline this year," he added. "I finished the season on the right of a back three, which has helped me a lot.

"It gives me space to step in with it, and I'm quite comfortable out wide efending, which I've also shown at right back. It's a position I played a lot as a kid and I'm more than happy to continue there."