Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher, along with his son James, who is also a footballer, have both been awarded Maltese citizenship recently. Jamie Carragher, who had a distinguished 17-year stint with Liverpool in the English Premier League, received this citizenship due to his Maltese ancestry through his grandfather and mother.
Official sources confirmed that Carragher acquired citizenship by registration, which necessitates being a direct descendant of an individual born in Malta, with at least one parent also born there. The esteemed football commentator and ex-England player’s grandfather, Paul Vassallo, originally came from Qormi, Malta. He married an Englishwoman and relocated to Bootle in the UK, where his daughter Paula née Vassallo, Jamie’s mother, was also born Maltese. In the meantime, Carragher’s son James was similarly granted Maltese citizenship concurrently with his father, as reported by the Times of Malta.
Emulating his father’s career path, James Carragher is pursuing his professional football career as a centre-back for Wigan Athletic in the English Football League One.
The 22-year-old footballer first appeared for Wigan in August and recently celebrated his inaugural professional goal against Bristol Rovers. This achievement, humorously highlighted by Sky Sports on social media, placed him just three goals shy of equaling his father’s career total.
- Malta Football Association president Bjorn Vassallo
Embracing international recruitment is something we won’t hesitate to do; if it’s a global trend, why not follow suit?
With his recent acquisition of Maltese citizenship, there’s a potential opportunity for him to represent Malta. This possibility was confirmed by the president of the Malta Football Association, Bjorn Vassallo, who stated that discussions with the player’s family had commenced.
“We’ve been engaged in conversations with James and his father Jamie for several months. James is open to the idea, but there are still discussions to be had,” Vassallo revealed, indicating that more talks would occur soon.
Vassallo pointed out that the Malta national team already features two players who joined through citizenship, highlighting that discussions with Carragher align with the association’s strategy to bolster its squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March. “Embracing international recruitment is something we won’t hesitate to do; if it’s a global trend, why not follow suit?”
Liverpool career
Jamie Carragher launched his professional journey with Liverpool FC in 1996 and remained a key player for the club until 2013. With 737 appearances, he stands as the second-most capped player in the club’s annals and is also its second-longest serving member. In 2005, Carragher was part of the team during Liverpool’s legendary victory over AC Milan in the Champions League final, a match celebrated for the remarkable comeback known as the “miracle of Istanbul.” Now 47, Carragher spent a decade as vice-captain under Steven Gerrard’s leadership and was a recurring presence in the England team, participating in two FIFA World Cup tournaments. After hanging up his boots in 2013, he transitioned to Sky Sports to work as a football commentator, frequently sharing the screen with ex-Manchester United player Gary Neville.
COVID message to Malta
In 2020, Carragher, alongside Neville and fellow footballer Ryan Giggs, appealed to the Maltese populace to remain at home for safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a YouTube video, the former Liverpool icon extended his best wishes, saying “everyone the best and hope you’re all safe and sound there in Malta,” while also mentioning his family’s ties to the country.
“I actually have a touch of Maltese heritage, so… stay safe and hope you’re all in good spirits,” he mentioned.
Carragher frequently writes for The Telegraph, a prominent UK newspaper. In addition to his football career, he has engaged in charitable activities via his 23 Foundation, supporting youth in the Liverpool region.
