Why is Jamie Carragher’s son playing for Malta?

James Carragher plays for Wigan Athletic but was tasked with containing Robert Lewandowski during the March international break

Jamie Carragher’s son is now among an elite class of athletes who can call themselves international footballers.

Having started out following his dad’s footsteps in the Liverpool academy setup, James Carragher currently plies his trade as a regular fixture at League One outfit Wigan Athletic after coming through the Latics’s youth system.

However, Carragher wasn’t simply satisfied for a cushty career in the English leagues and sought a way into the international scene - not for England, where he was born and raised, but for Malta.

The Merseyside-bred centre-back went about acquiring Maltese citizenship in Feburary, which he was eligible for through father Jamie’s grandfather and mother.

He was successful in this pursuit, with Malta FA president Bjorn Vassallo confirming that they were now considering the 22-year-old for selection.

And for the March international break, he earned his first call-up for Malta for their World Cup qualifiers against Finland and Poland.

Carragher played the entirety of both games in front of his family, making his home debut against Finland before making the trip to Warsaw to play under the lights of the 58,000-seater Stadion Narodowy.

There, he squared off against one of the best strikers of his generation in Robert Lewandowski, holding off the decorated Barcelona frontman in what was his 157th appearance for Poland.

Carragher managed to secure Lewandowski’s shirt after the contest, a hugely coveted souvenir to take from his first international break.

Watching from the stands, Reds legend Carragher Sr recalled the experience of watching his son make his international bow.

“We had a proper trip, the Carraghers on tour,” he said on Stick to Football.

Robert Lewandowski is Poland’s all-time top scorer with 85 goals (AFP via Getty Images)

"I wasn't nervous, but I could see my dad was a bit nervous before. It was a big game, 50,000 there. And what do you do when you're nervous? You have a drink.

“But no, it was good. I wanted [Robert] Lewandowski to start, but he came on. He did alright. He was up against him at the end, in the last 20 minutes."

Carragher will now return to the Wigan as they look to further cement their status in League One, sitting seven points above the relegation zone with 10 games to play.

At just 22, he has plenty of time to add to his father’s glistening legacy in the sport, who finished his career as Liverpool’s second top all-time appearance maker with a Champions League, two FA Cups and three League Cups under his belt.