Wed 19 Nov - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 6mins
Derby County had as many as ten players away on international duty during the November international window.
Five players from Head Coach John Eustace’s squad jetted off with Jacob Widell Zetterström (Sweden), Sondre Langås (Norway), Callum Elder (Australia), Ben Brereton Díaz (Chile) and Ebou Adams (The Gambia) landing call-ups.
Academy players Daniel Cox (Wales Under-21s), Darren Robinson (Northern Ireland Under-21s), Jack Thompson (England Under-20s), Cruz Allen (Wales Under-19s) and Alfie Friars (Northern Ireland Under-19s) were also handed the opportunity to impress for their countries.
Jacob Widell Zetterström
Derby’s first-choice goalkeeper was an unused substitute in Graham Potter’s first game since being appointed the new Sweden coach as their disappointing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign continued with a 4-1 loss away to Switzerland.
Despite being unable to reach the World Cup via the group stages, however, they still have the chance to reach next summer’s tournament through the UEFA Nations League.
For their final group stage qualifier against Slovenia, Zetterström was handed his competitive debut and second international cap by being named in the starting line-up in the city of his birth, Stockholm.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw with Sweden grabbing a late equaliser after former Rams midfielder and Academy graduate Timi Max Elsnik put Slovenia ahead from close range midway through the second half.
Sondre Langås
Langås was an unused substitute in a 4-1 home win over Estonia in Oslo to put Norway on the brink of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in their first outing of the November international window.
Derby’s centre-back also didn’t come off the bench as Norway romped to a second successive 4-1 success, this time against Italy at San Siro Stadium in Milan, to finish top of their qualification group with eight wins from eight and reach the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
Norway and Langås can now look forward to competing on the world’s biggest stage next summer following a hugely impressive qualification campaign.
Callum Elder
Elder came off the bench at half-time to claim his second international cap for Australia, and his first as a Derby County player, in a 1-0 friendly reverse against Venezuela in Houston, Texas.
His only previous cap for the Socceroos came in 2021 whilst with Hull City, so it was a special moment for the left-back to get game time for his country as they continued their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Elder went on to win his third cap as a substitute for the final 30 minutes of Australia’s 3-0 friendly loss against Columbia at Citi Field, New York.
Ben Brereton Díaz
Forward Brereton Díaz continued was once again looking to impress on the international stage with Chile in two friendlies in Sochi, Russia.
Chile are in a transitional period after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the two matches were a key opportunity for the squad to gel together and look to the future.
Brereton Díaz came off the bench midway through the second half and scored from close range to seal a 2-0 victory over Russia in their first outing of the international window, his second goal in as many matches for his country.
The Southampton loanee was a late substitute in their second game, too, by entering the action with five minutes of normal time remaining as La Roja came from behind with ten men to beat Peru 2-1.
Ebou Adams
Midfielder Ebou Adams started for The Gambia in their friendly against Kuwait in Egypt to claim his 30th international cap, with the match ending in a 2-2 draw.
The Gambia finished third in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, in Confederation of African Football Group F, and subsequently missed out on a place in next summer’s major tournament, so Head Coach Johnny McKinstry has been quickly looking to the future.
Daniel Cox
Under-21s centre-back Cox, who is on loan at Sky Bet League Two side Walsall, has been a regular in the Wales Under-21 squad in recent months and he was once again called up their single UEFA Under-21 European Championship Group I qualifier during the international period.
Cox played the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 loss away to Belarus, leaving Wales bottom of their group with one win and three losses from their qualifiers to date. As a result, they cannot qualify for the 2027 finals, which will be played in in Albania and Serbia.
Darren Robinson
Under-21s midfielder Darren Robinson, who is approaching the end of a loan spell at League of Ireland Premier Division side St Patrick’s Athletic, was in 2027 UEFA Under-21 European Championship Group F qualification action for Northern Ireland’s Under-21s.
Robinson played the full game, and was named as captain, as Tommy Wright’s side claimed a 1-0 home win over Lativa in Belfast.
The central midfielder was once again named in the starting line-up and wearing the captain’s armband for the side’s visit to Greece a few days later, but they were unable to build on the win over Latvia as they fell to a 4-0 reverse.
Jack Thompson
Under-21s goalkeeper Thompson, who is on loan at National League side Braintree Town gaining important match experience, was a late addition to the England Under-20 squad last week for their friendly against Japan in Doncaster to provide additional goalkeeping cover.
The shot-stopper was an unused substitute as the Young Lions played out a 1-1 draw, with the visitors scoring deep into added time to deny England victory in their final outing of 2025.
Cruz Allen
Wales’ Under-19s had three friendly matches factored into their schedule on home turf during the international period as part of the preparations for the UEFA 2026 Under-19 European Championship finals, which is being hosted in north Wales next summer.
Allen came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time winner direct from a free-kick in a 3-2 success over Japan Under-19s in their opening friendly in Denbigh.
He was rewarded with a place in the starting line-up a few days later at Wrexham’s STōK Cae Ras against their counterparts from USA and played 74 minutes in a 1-1 draw, with Wales running out victorious on penalties.
The Rams’ midfielder was once again in the starting line-up for Wales’ third and friendly match of the international window, playing 69 minutes in a 3-0 loss against Germany back in Denbigh.
Alfie Friars
Northern Ireland’s Under-19s were in UEFA 2026 Under-19 European Championship Qualifying Round action in Malta and Rams defender Friars was part of the green and white army’s squad.
Friars was an unused substitute in their first match, a 1-0 win over Malta, as he was for the victory by the same scoreline against Azerbaijan a few days later as his side reached the Elite Round of qualifying for next summer’s tournament with a match to spare.
The 18-year-old came off the bench to win his second Under-19s cap in Northern Ireland’s third and final group fixture, which was a 4-0 loss to Czechia. Friars entered the action with 76 minutes played and his side already four goals down.
