Family touch adds to 'special' moment for Price

BBC News

21-03-2025

Northern Ireland midfielder Isaac Price said that it will be "really special" to have his Belfast-born grandmother at Friday night's friendly game against Switzerland.Price, who was born in England, qualifies to play for Michael O'Neill's side through his grandmother, who lived in Northern Ireland before moving to England.The 21-year-old is excited play in front of her for the first time at senior level for his country in a game that will be live on BBC Northern Ireland, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website."This is the first one [she is attending] and I don't know how to be honest," Price told BBC Sport NI."I thought she had come to a few but I'm looking forward to playing in front of her and I'm sure she'll be proud. I started playing for Northern Ireland when I was 15 and she started coming to the games then at youth level so to have her here in front of a full Windsor Park will be special."
'There was no real doubt I wanted to play for NI'
In a wide-ranging interview with BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson, Price credits his grandmother on playing a key role in his decision to choose to play for Northern Ireland over England."My grandma had a big influence on it but also the commitment Northern Ireland showed to me. I got picked since I was 15 and I went through all the age groups and now I'm here," he added."Michael has put a lot of trust in me so there was no real doubt I wanted to play for Northern Ireland. "Anyone who asks me will get the same answer; I love playing here and I love the group of lads here."The 18-times capped midfielder, who started his career at Everton, has recently returned to England with Championship side West Bromwich Albion after a stint in Belgium with Standard Liege.Aged just 19 at the time of the move, Price admitted he underestimated just how difficult the switch would be, but that he enjoyed his time on the pitch which helped "progress" his career."I was a bit naive when I first went over about how big a jump it would be moving to a different country, with a different language and adapting to a different style of football, but I think it stood me well," he explained."The lifestyle was hard, I was living on my own and there wasn't a lot to do, I probably didn't think much about that when I was going over, but I played all the games and it helped me get into the Northern Ireland team, so I'm grateful."His form in Belgium earned him a January switch to the Baggies, and he netted his first goal for the club before the international break in a 1-1 draw against Hull City."I loved playing over there [in Belgium], but I'm buzzing to be back in England. I settled in as soon as I joined, and I feel at home there."
'I've watched hat-trick goal over 100 times'
Price has scored six times in his 18 caps with three of those goals coming in a 5-0 victory against Bulgaria in a Nations League game in October.In scoring a hat-trick that night, Price became the youngest ever NI player to score three times in a game.He admits he still rewatches the goals from that game, the third of which was a stunning 25-yard effort."It's still a little bit surreal, it probably won't sink in until my career has finished, and I look back," he said."It was a big achievement, scoring a hat-trick, is not easy to do so to do it at international level and at home in front of a full Windsor, it's the best footballing night I have had and I'm sure it will be hard to top. "I have had a few watches of it [the hat-trick] on YouTube and the last goal I must have watched it over 100 times!"Price is hungry for more success with Northern Ireland after a strong 2024 in which O'Neill's side suffered just two defeats.He believes the double-header against Switzerland at Windsor and away to Sweden will act as ideal preparation ahead of the World Cup qualifiers starting in September."We back ourselves and these games will be a good test to see where we stand against nations ranked top 25 in the world. "There won't be any fear, and we'll look to go and beat both teams."