Liverpool's January signing switched countries to play at AFCON before retiring

Steven Caulker was a surprise loan signing for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp in 2016, and the former Premier League defender has played for both England and Sierra Leone

Steven Caulker made four appearances for Liverpool after joining on an emergency loan(Image: Getty Images)

Steven Caulker, who netted a goal in his solitary England appearance, later switched his international allegiance to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Former Liverpool star Caulker, who turned 34 on Monday and retired from professional soccer earlier this month, made his senior England debut under Roy Hodgson in 2012 during a memorable 4-2 friendly loss to Sweden. The former Tottenham center-back scored from a Steven Gerrard free-kick before being substituted in the 74th minute, with England leading 2-1 at that point.

However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic went on to bag three more goals for Sweden, including a remarkable long-range strike past Joe Hart.

This match proved to be Caulker's only cap for England as his career struggled to take off, transferring to Cardiff and spending three years at QPR before an unexpected loan to Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, where he was occasionally deployed as a substitute striker.

Despite representing England at U19 and U21 levels, and featuring for Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games, Caulker was eligible to change his national allegiance.

Thanks to his grandfather, Caulker was able to play for Sierra Leone. He was approached by former West Ham star Carlton Cole, whose mother hails from the West African nation, on behalf of the country's soccer association.

Caulker scored on his only appearance for England(Image: Getty Images)

Although he was eligible to represent Scotland through his grandmother Jessie, he confirmed that he would submit an application to FIFA to switch his international allegiance to Sierra Leone, a nation he regularly visits.

In a previous interview with The Athletic, Caulker said: "It is a country that is close to my heart, and somewhere I've always been made to feel welcome. Visiting my grandfather's village was an incredible, humbling experience.

"The football federation reached out through Carlton [Cole], whose mother is from Sierra Leone, after qualifying for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 25 years, and were hoping I could add some experience to their group.

"They're in a growing process and have aspirations to qualify for the World Cup. For me, this is an unbelievable opportunity and more than about just playing football. Representing Sierra Leone would be something I can be proud of when I look back over my career. I'll have to earn my place in the team, but it's an exciting prospect and something I can't wait to be a part of."

Caulker received approval to feature in the 2021 AFCON and appeared in all three of Sierra Leone's group fixtures, receiving acclaim for his displays in the team's stalemates against defending champion Algeria and Ivory Coast.

Following an impressive debut and a crucial goal-line clearance in a 0-0 draw against Algeria, he then provided a 93rd-minute assist to secure a 2-2 draw with the Ivory Coast.

Sierra Leone suffered a 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea, leading to a third-place finish in the team's group with a mere two points.

Consequently, Caulker and his teammates were unable to advance to the knockout stage. The Leone Stars failed to qualify for both the 2023 and 2025 tournaments.