Birmingham City star beats Championship rival in extremely rare club-v-country match

One of Birmingham City's players played for their country on Thursday afternoon against a familiar foe to Blues.
Jordan Jones
By Jordan Jones
Published 21st Mar 2024, 15:46 GMT
Updated 21st Mar 2024, 15:49 GMT
Taking the club versus country debate to a different level. Juninho Bacuna played for Curacao against a Championship rival. (Image: Getty Images)Taking the club versus country debate to a different level. Juninho Bacuna played for Curacao against a Championship rival. (Image: Getty Images)
Taking the club versus country debate to a different level. Juninho Bacuna played for Curacao against a Championship rival. (Image: Getty Images)

Birmingham City midfielder Juninho Bacuna is away on international duty this week. 

The 26-year-old has been one of Blues’ leading players in what has been a disappointing campaign. Bacuna’s country that he represents is Curacao, which is based in the Caribbean. 

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Strangely, Bacuna didn’t play against a country when he lined up for his country today. He instead played against Birmingham’s Championship rivals Hull City. Club versus country matches don't take place that often, and so Bacuna was a part of a rare spectacle.

The Tigers are in Antalya for a warm weather training camp and played them at the Corendon Airplanes Park. Curacao ran out 1-0 winners against second-string Hull side. 

Bacuna played and started the match and had two opportunities to get himself on the score sheet. Rangelo Janga scored the only goal of the game in a match that won’t count as an official cap for Bacuna and co. He played 71 minutes before being replaced by Jaron Vicario.

This is the first of two games against a club team that Bacuna will play for Curacao. They play Turkish Super Lig side Alanyaspor on Tuesday, March 26. His country is now managed by Dick Advocaat, formerly the manager of Sunderland.

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The Groningen-born midfielder knows Hull very well having played against them numerous ties. Birmingham and Hull have met four times this season in the Championship and the FA Cup, and Bacuna has played in three of them. 

Bacuna is one of a few players called up for international duty. Birmingham will be hoping that all of them return back to base injury fee ahead of their game against QPR on Friday, March 29. Those away with their countries will miss the first few training sessions that Gary Rowett will take after his return to the club was confirmed on Tuesday evening.

As for who else is away, Jordan James should start for Wales tonight in their EURO 2024 play-off semi final against Finland. If they win they face the winner of Estonia versus Poland on Tuesday night, with the match taking place in Cardiff.

Jay Stansfield is in the England under-21s squad. Lee Carsley’s side play Azerbaijan on Friday, March 22 and then Luxembourg on Tuesday, March 26.

Related topics:CaribbeanFinlandWalesPolandFA CupEnglandHull

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