Injured Bradley included in Northern Ireland squad

Liverpool’s Conor Bradley has been named in Northern Ireland’s squad for World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Germany next month.

Bradley has not played for his club yet this season, missing both their Community Shield defeat by Crystal Palace and Premiership victory over Bournemouth because of a hamstring injury.

Despite his recent absences, the 22-year-old defender, who has scored four international goals in 25 caps, has been included in Michael O’Neill’s panel for away games against Luxembourg on 4 September and Germany in Cologne three days later.

The pair of fixtures, both of which will be shown live on the BBC, are the first of Northern Ireland’s qualifying fixtures for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Also included despite fitness concerns is Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles.

Charles, 20, has been O’Neill’s preferred choice in goal since last year’s Nations League campaign but he injured his shoulder during Sheffield Wednesday’s Championship defeat by Stoke City on Saturday with the Owls confirming on Thursday that he “faces a spell on the sidelines”.

With his usual international understudy, Plymouth Argyle’s Conor Hazard, yet to play this season because of an injury sustained against Denmark in June, O’Neill has recalled Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The Birmingham City stopper, who is on loan at Blackpool, has won 48 caps for the side but has not been named in an international panel since September 2024.

Goalkeepers: Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Blackpool, on loan from Birmingham City), Luke Southwood (Bristol Rovers).

Defenders: Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard (both Sunderland), Brodie Spencer (Oxford United), Conor Bradley (Liverpool), Ruairi McConville (Norwich City), Paddy McNair (San Diego), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), Terry Devlin (Portsmouth).

Midfielders: George Saville (Luton Town), Shea Charles (Southampton), Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock), Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace), Caolan Boyd-Munce (Wycombe Wanderers), Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Callum Marshall (West Ham United), Jamie Donley (Stoke City, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).