Eight Derby County players, from the First Team and Academy, have been undertaking international duties over the past week.
The international break began two days after the Rams' impressive 3-0 win over Bristol City at Pride Park Stadium at the end of August. Ebou Adams, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Jacob Widell Zetterström all featured in the victory before being summoned by their national sides.
Summer loan signing Tawanda Chirewa, out-on-loan midfielder Darren Robinson and Academy players Cruz Allen, Daniel Cox, and Freddie Turley were also called up for international action.
Ebou Adams
Midfielder Ebou Adams joined up with the Gambia’s squad for their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Preliminary Qualifiers against Comoros and Tunisia.
Northern Irishman Johnathan McKinstry manages the Gambia side and selected Adams to pick up his 19th and 20th caps for his nation. He started in the Scorpions’ 1-1 draw with Comoros and featured off the bench in the final eight minutes of their 2-1 defeat against Tunisia.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing joined up with the Guatemala squad and received two new caps for his country, as he featured in both of Los Chapines’ CONCACAF Nations League Group A qualifiers.
The forward came off the bench in a 3-1 win against Martinique and started on the left wing in a goalless draw with Costa Rica as he racked up his 13th appearance for the national side, since first joining up with them in June 2023.
Jacob Widell Zetterström
Summer signing Jacob Widell Zetterström joined up with the Swedish squad for the sixth time. The 26-year-old shot-stopper made his debut for the Blue and Yellow in January 2023 in a friendly against Iceland and had also featured on the bench in three more games.
The Rams' goalkeeper once again featured on the bench as he was handed the number one shirt by new Sweden Head Coach Jon Dahl Tomasson as he made his first squad selection after taking the position following a spell in charge of Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
Zetterström made up the goalkeeping group alongside Stoke City’s Viktor Johansen and AIK and former Swansea City shot-stopper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
Tawanda Chirewa
Man down!
— Zimbabwe Football Association (@online_zifa) September 8, 2024
Warriors in action 📸#bayawabaya🇿🇼 pic.twitter.com/u1dcy9mGAk
Tawanda Chirewa joined up with the Zimbabwe national team for their AFCON Qualifying fixtures. The Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee joined the Rams four days before the end of the transfer window and made his first appearance for Paul Warne’s side in the Carabao Cup at Barrow the following day.
Chirewa came into the international break with two caps for his nation, after making his debut and scoring his first goal for Zimbabwe in June 2024. He started against Kenya and began on the bench against Cameroon as they played out back-to-back goalless draws.
Darren Robinson
Darren Robinson, who joined National League side Hartlepool United on loan deal that run until January 2025 last month, linked up with the Northern Ireland Under-21 side. Robinson has worked his way through the youth ranks making 12 appearances from Under-18 to Under-21 level.
The central midfielder featured in both of the Under-21s UEFA European Championship Qualifying matches against England and Ukraine. Robinson started against the young England side, playing 84 minutes in a 0-0 draw and played the opening 45 minutes against Ukraine as Northern Ireland fell to a 2-1 defeat.
Cruz Allen and Dan Cox
Cruz Allen and Dan Cox were both selected to represent Wales at youth level. Cox has featured for Jake Buxton’s Derby Under-21s side this term, making two appearances in Premier League 2 so far this season. Meanwhile, Allen has been part of Danny Maye’s Under-18s side.
⏰ FT | 🇸🇰 2-3 🏴
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) September 6, 2024
Cruz Allen's second-half brace completes the turnaround for Cymru 🤩#TogetherStrongerpic.twitter.com/d7TRsVDiyf
Allen joined up with the Cymru Under-18s squad as they played three games, against Czechia, Slovakia and Türkiye in the Ježek Cup. He played out 79 minutes as the Welsh side drew 0-0 with Czechia. Allen was on the scoresheet, as he netted twice against Slovakia in a 3-2 win and featured again playing 70 minutes in a 2-1 reverse versus Turkiye.
CYMRU XI 🇦🇿🏴
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) September 9, 2024
The Cymru MU19 lineup to face Azerbaijan 👊#TogetherStrongerpic.twitter.com/XP83Li3eGJ
Defender Cox linked up with the Under-19s as they played out two friendly matches against Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. He started in both games, as the Under-19s drew 2-2 with Turkmenistan and ran out 3-0 winners against Azerbaijan. He also wore the captain's armband in the latter fixture.
Freddie Turley
Freddie Turley, who joined the Rams' Under-21s over the summer, was called up to join the Republic of Ireland Under-19s for their Slovenia Nations Cup fixtures.
Turley made featured in all three games, starting twice. He played in a 2-1 loss against France and featured from the bench in a 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan. Turley also played out the full 90 minutes as he captained the side in their 1-1 draw with Slovenia as he made his 25th appearance at youth international level.
