Uncapped teenagers Braiden Graham and Ceadach O'Neill have been included in Northern Ireland's squad for their upcoming friendlies against Guinea and France. The 18-year-olds, who have impressed for Everton and Arsenal's youth teams respectively, are among several new faces named by manager Michael O'Neill.
Graham, a forward, has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances for Everton's Under-21 side this season and was an unused substitute for the senior team's Premier League match against Nottingham Forest in December. O'Neill, also 18, has shone for Arsenal's academy and has been on the bench for the Gunners' FA Cup ties against Wigan Athletic and Southampton.
Manager Michael O'Neill, who recently signed a contract extension until 2032, will be without several key players due to injury or other commitments. Sunderland defender Dan Ballard is recovering from Achilles surgery, while Paddy McNair is absent after helping Hull City secure Premier League promotion. Portsmouth's Terry Devlin (hamstring), Bolton's Eoin Toal (injury), and midfielders George Saville and Brad Lyons (personal reasons) are also unavailable.
Swansea City's Ethan Galbraith returns despite limited game time since March, and Liverpool teenager Kieran Morrison keeps his place in the squad.
Northern Ireland will face Guinea in Spain on 4 May before taking on France in Lille on 8 June, their final match before the World Cup.
O'Neill emphasized the need to accelerate the development of young players, stating, "We're not blessed with a wealth of strikers, so it's important to integrate these promising talents into the senior setup."