Sunderland's Dan Ballard and Trai Hume have been included in the Northern Ireland squad for their Euro 2024 qualifying double-header later this month. The Wearside duo are part of a 26-man party named by Michael O'Neill for the home games against San Marino and Finland at Windsor Park, although Sunderland skipper Corry Evans misses out after his season-ending cruciate ligament injury.
Centre-back Ballard - who has been capped 16 times by his country - returns to the Northern Ireland squad for the first time since his summer move from Arsenal to Sunderland, having been injured for the last round of qualifiers at the end of September. Right-back Hume made his senior international debut in March last yearand added a second cap in June, but had not been in the national squad since.
Northern Ireland take on San Marino on Thursday, March 23, and then face Finland on Sunday, March 26 O'Neill's squad also includes former Sunderland men in Middlesbrough's Paddy McNair and Leicester City's Jonny Evans, while two more former Black Cats - Shrewsbury Town's Tom Flanagan and Linfield's Kyle Lafferty - miss out.
