Ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland made his only England appearance in 2006 (Image: Tommy Hindley/Professional Sport/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Former England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is finally set to be handed his Three Lions cap nearly two decades after earning it.
Kirkland was substituted in for Paul Robinson during a 4-0 friendly victory over Greece at Old Trafford in August 2006, but he never received the commemorative cap marking his debut.
Consequently, the ex-Liverpool star will be present for England’s Nations League match against Greece at Wembley this evening, in which he will be a guest of the Football Association (FA) and will finally be awarded his cap.
According to The Athletic, it remains unclear why Kirkland never initially received his cap, but the FA has swiftly moved to correct the oversight after being alerted by staff at Edge Hill University.
Earlier this year, the university awarded Kirkland with an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy for his contributions around mental health, and he was also surprised with the invite to be the FA’s guest of honour for the match against Greece. The 43-year-old will receive a legacy cap bearing the number 1,114.
Despite being regularly selected for England squads between 2003 and 2008, the friendly against Greece in 2006 was Kirkland’s sole appearance on the pitch.
That solitary appearance proved to be a lucrative one for his family, as his father had placed a bed on his then 13-year-old son donning the Three Lions jersey one day at staggering odds of 100/1. Eddie Kirkland bet a stake of £98.10, with other family members contributing, resulting in a payout of around £10,000 over a decade later.
Recalling his father’s gamble, Kirkland told he Athletic: “If I’d gone into the bookies’ with my dad, and they’d seen me, I’m sure he would have got a lot better odds than 100/1. I was very gangly. I wasn’t in the best shape.
“I must have done OK. My dad must have seen something. I went from playing my first game in goal at nearly 14 to making my Premier League debut (for Coventry City) at 18. It was a rapid rise.”
Kirkland was a member of the Liverpool squad that won the 2005 Champions League, and he also played for Coventry, West Bromwich Albion, Wigan Athletic, Leicester City, Doncaster Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End, and Bury before hanging up his boots in 2016.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1959902/Liverpool-Chris-Kirkland-England-cap-Greece