Hearts player earns international promotion, ace relives emotional call-up call, star's rally cry after goal,
Here are some of the latest headlines to have emerged from the international break involving Hearts players.
Aron Benjaminsen has been called up to the Faroe Islands’ senior national team after a double at U21s level.
The teenager was recruited by the Premiership club from Tynecastle towards the end of the summer transfer window. He signed from Vikingur Gota and has now netted twice against Estonia during a qualifying match for the Euro U21s Championship. Faroe Islands won the match 2-1.
Benjaminsen will now be part of Eyoun Klakstein's senior squad after making a major impression in the youth ranks. After a 1-1 draw with Kazakhstan on Saturday, the Faroes take on Moldova and Slovakia, before ending the extended international break away to the team they held at home.
Josh McPake on first Scotland call-up
Elsewhere in the Nations League and Sabah Kerjota was an unused for Albania as they kicked off their section by beating Belarus 2-0. They take on San Marino home and away before the end of the break, sandwiched between a trip to Finland. Josh McPake was an unused substitute for Scotland’s draw at Slovenia, preceding a home game against Slovenia next month, alongside clashes against Switzerland and North Macedonia.
He spoke pre-match of the joy he found in his call-up after a strong start to the season with Hearts. McPake said: "I got the call in my house and it was the manager. I had a really good chat with him and he informed me that I'd be involved in the squad, which I was obviously absolutely buzzing about. I think he cold tell by my face because he was laughing a wee bit. I couldn't hide the excitement.”
James Wilson has joined Hearts goalkeeper Liam McFarlane in Tony Docherty’s Scotland U21s squad for their Euro Championship qualifier versus Azerbaijan. He initially flew out to Spain with Sebastian Pocognoli’s senior team for warm weather training.
What other Hearts stars are on international duty?
Rogers Mato meanwhile has sent a Ugandan rally cry ahead of facing Libya, after netting during his team’s 1-1 draw with Tunisia in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. Uganda will co-host the 2027 iteration of the event alongside Kenya and Tanzania, but while there spot at the major tournament is sealed, Hearts forward Mato feels confidence must build ahead of it.
He said: "We worked as a team and kept our composure even when we went a goal down. We are happy, especially since it came away from home, and this gives us confidence going forward. We all know that our slot at AFCON 2027 is guaranteed, but we need to do well in these qualifiers and keep the momentum going because that builds our confidence.”
MJ Kamson-Kamara made his debut for Sierra Leone in their qualifier against Zimbabwe in AFCON qualifying. The Hearts centre-back on loan at Premiership rival Kilmarnock came off the bench but his side eventually squandered a 2-0 lead in the second half to lose 3-2. Sierra Leon face Equatorial Guinea on Monday. Pierre Landry Kabore was used off the bench by Burkina Faso as the Hearts striker’s side drew 1-1 at home to Benin and they face Central African Republic on the same day.
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