Emergency Liverpool signing who scored on England debut switched countries to play at AFCON
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Former Liverpool star Steven Caulker scored in his only appearance for England but later switched his international allegiance to represent Sierra Leone at AFCONSteven Caulker, who scored in his only appearance for England, later changed his international allegiance to play in the African Cup of Nations. However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic went on to score three more goals for Sweden - including an unforgettable long-range strike past Joe Hart.This match turned out to be Caulker's sole outing for England as his career took a downturn, moving to Cardiff City and spending three years at QPR before a surprising short-term loan to Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, where he was occasionally used as a substitute striker.READ MORE: Arne Slot faces difficult Alexis Mac Allister decision as Liverpool consider attack rethinkREAD MORE: Liverpool handed first January transfer plea after subtle Florian Wirtz messageDespite representing England at U19 and U21 levels, and playing for Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games, Caulker was eligible to switch his national allegiance.Thanks to his grandfather William, Caulker was able to represent Sierra Leone.
He was approached by former West Ham star Carlton Cole - whose mother is from the West African country - on behalf of their football association.Although he was eligible to play for Scotland through his grandmother Jessie, he confirmed that he would submit an application to FIFA to change his international allegiance to Sierra Leone, a country he frequently visits.In a past interview with the Athletic, Caulker said: "It is a country that is close to my heart, and somewhere I've always been made to feel welcome. Visiting my grandfather's village was an incredible, humbling experience."The football federation reached out through Carlton [Cole], whose mother is from Sierra Leone, after qualifying for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 25 years and were hoping I could add some experience to their group."They're in a growing process and have aspirations to qualify for the World Cup."For me, this is an unbelievable opportunity and more than about just playing football.
Representing Sierra Leone would be something I can be proud of when I look back over my career. I'll have to earn my place in the team, but it's an exciting prospect and something I can't wait to be a part of."Caulker was given the green light to participate in the 2021 AFCON and played in all three of Sierra Leone's group matches, earning praise for his performances in their draws against reigning champions Algeria and Ivory Coast.After a strong debut and a vital goal-line clearance in a 0-0 draw against Algeria, he then delivered a 93rd-minute assist to secure a 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast.Sierra Leone endured a 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, resulting in a third-place finish in their group with just two points.