Liverpool U21s midfielder Kyle Kelly scored his first-ever goal for Saint Kitts & Nevis on Monday – having yet to make his debut at senior level for the club.
Kelly is a 20-year-old midfielder who has become a staple of the U21s squad in recent seasons, including starting in 10 of the last 11 games for Rob Page’s side.
He is yet to break through into the senior setup, however, with Arne Slot rarely calling upon him for first-team training while others such as Trey Nyoni take their opportunities.
But Kelly is a rare case of a footballer playing regularly for his country before making his senior debut for any club side.
Kyle Kelly scores a first international goal and first in men’s football this morning, overjoyed in celebration. St Kitts and Nevis won 4-2. The Liverpool academy player started. pic.twitter.com/UvGNPxguvc
— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) March 30, 2026
Monday saw him make his eight appearance for Saint Kitts & Nevis, just over two years on from his first – and the powerful midfielder marked it with a long-range strike in off the post.
It came in a 4-2 win over the Solomon Islands which clinched third place in the FIFA Series 2026, with Kelly starting for the fifth time for his country.
With his side already 2-1 up midway through the second half, Kelly picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch and pushed forward before unleashing an unstoppable effort for Saint Kitts & Nevis’ third of the game.
Kelly played the full 90 minutes having already done so in a 4-0 loss to Indonesia three days previous, and he will now return to Liverpool buoyed by his latest milestone.
How Instagram DM led to Kyle Kelly’s international call-up
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Monday, March 16, 2026: Liverpool's Kyle Kelly during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester City FC Under-21’s and Liverpool FC Under-21's at the Academy Stadium. Man City won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
As he told the club’s official website in January, his involvement with Saint Kitts & Nevis came after receiving a DM on Instagram.
“They actually approached me on my social media because I had it in my bio that I was from Saint Kitts & Nevis,” Kelly explained.
“They approached me via Instagram and then they got the club’s contact details.
“I kind of left it for a bit because I wasn’t sure [if it was real] and then the person that messaged me was an ex-footballer that’s now working with Saint Kitts & Nevis. That’s how I thought that it was legit.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 26, 2022: Liverpool's Kyle Kelly during the Under-18 Premier League match between Everton FC Under-18's and Liverpool FC Under-18's, the "mini-mini-Merseyide Derby", at Finch Farm. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)
“I was U18s at the time. It was a bit mad.”
With Kelly set to turn 21 later this year it seems unlikely that he will break through at Liverpool, which makes this summer a pivotal one when it comes to his career.
The club are likely to field interest from a number of clubs, with permanent and loan offers encouraged, and no doubt his experience at international level will boost his profile.
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