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Liverpool’s Conor Bradley is set to experience a career milestone as he prepares to lead out Northern Ireland for the first time in their Nations League match against Belarus on Saturday. The game, taking place behind closed doors in Hungary due to UEFA restrictions on the hosts, will see the 21-year-old become Northern Ireland’s fourth captain in their past five games.
Following the international retirement of long-standing skipper Jonny Evans in August, manager Michael O’Neill has opted to rotate captains throughout the campaign, using the opportunity to see how younger players handle leadership roles.
“To just play for your country is a massive honour but to be captain is something special,” Bradley shared with BBC Sport NI. He added, “Everyone knows how much I love to come away and play for my country and to have the armband on is going to be very special.”
Bradley, who is the only player in the Northern Ireland squad to have featured in the Premier League this season, will mark his 20th international cap by leading his side. While there are more experienced players in the squad, such as Paddy McNair and George Saville, O’Neill believes this is the perfect opportunity for younger players like Bradley to gain leadership experience.
“A lot of these younger players are going to be in the team for a long, long time. Eventually from them, a captain will emerge,” O’Neill explained.
Bradley’s performances have earned praise not only from O’Neill but also from his club, Liverpool, who believe the defender’s personality and ability to handle responsibility make him well-suited for the captaincy. O’Neill added, “He’s very keen to learn, he applies himself, and he takes on information well. We know about his athletic capabilities, his quality obviously as well. He gets a great response from his team-mates.”
Bradley’s leadership debut in this Nations League fixture will be a moment to watch, as Northern Ireland looks to secure a positive result against Belarus.
