Liverpool’s Conor Bradley says it will be “something special” to lead out Northern Ireland for the first time in Saturday’s Nations League contest with Belarus in Hungary.
The game, which will be played behind closed doors and at a neutral venue due to Uefa restrictions on the hosts, will see the 21-year-old become his country’s fourth different skipper in their past five games.
Manager Michael O’Neill has said he will rotate captains through this Nations League campaign following the international retirement of Jonny Evans in August.
“To just play for your country is a massive honour but to be captain is something special,” Bradley told BBC Sport NI.
“Everyone knows how much I love to come away and play for my country and to have the armband on is going to be very special.
“I just want to keep going now, put in a good performance and hopefully we get the result that we want.”
Bradley, the Northern Ireland squad’s only player to feature in the Premier League this season, will lead out the side on the occasion of his 20th cap.
While O’Neill acknowledged there are other more experienced figures in the panel, he feels the Nations League is a good opportunity to see how his young players cope with the added responsibility.
“I know some of the senior players who have captained the team are in the squad, Paddy McNair, George Saville, I’m aware there are players like that,” he said.
“I just think it’s a good opportunity to rotate it through the younger players
“A lot of these younger players are going to be in the team for a long, long time.
“Eventually from them, a captain will emerge.”
The decision of Manchester United’s Evans to step away from international football followed on from the retirements of Stuart Dallas, Craig Cathcart and former skipper Steven Davis.
In what is now a significantly younger squad, Sunderland duo Dan Ballard and Trai Hume have worn the armband in recent games.
“We had a captain who was in place for a long time with Steven and then Jonny after that. There was a natural order to follow,” added O’Neill.
“I don’t think at this minute in time, with this group of players, that applies.
“It’s good for the boys to be given the opportunity.”
O’Neill added that those involved with Bradley at club-level felt the added responsibility is something Bradley can take in his stride.
“Having spoken to people at Liverpool, they felt it was something personality-wise and [given] the responsibility that he takes, that it’s something he would handle.
“He’s very keen to learn, he applies himself. He takes on information well. We know about his athletic capabilities, his quality obviously as well.
“He gets a great response from his team-mates.”
