First Team
EVERY WORD | JACK WALTON LOOKS AHEAD TO IBROX TEST
21st November 2024
Four of our first-team stars have been selected to represent their national teams throughout September’s international break.
Read about their respective journeys below!
Kristijan Trapanovski - North Macedonia
Following his arrival from FK Shkupi in June, our number seven hit the ground running immediately upon the commencement of competitive action.
Trapanovski netted twice during the Premier Sports Cup Group Stage, also complimenting his strikes with three assists, before thundering home the first goal of the 2024/25 William Hill Premiership season against our city rivals on the opening weekend of the term.
???? @DavidBabunski unlocks the door
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) August 5, 2024
???? JVDS puts it on a plate
???????? @Trapanovski dispatches with conviction
A fabulous team move to get us up and running for the new @WilliamHill Premiership campaign ???????? pic.twitter.com/nzU9nVNvId
Despite frequently representing his homeland in various UEFA youth competitions, he is accepting his first call-up to the senior side. Macedonia begin their assault on Nations League Group L with a trip to the Faroe Islands on Saturday 7 September, then welcome Armenia to the Toše Proeski Arena three days later.
David Babunski - North Macedonia
The other half of our electric Macedonian duo, Babunski, is a seasoned veteran on the international stage, having made his competitive senior bow over a decade ago - coincidentally against a Scotland squad featuring our 2010 Scottish Cup-winning hero and Hall of Famer Craig Conway.
Since, he has gone on to be included in eight squads for major tournament qualification campaigns. The 30-year-old’s most recent appearance for Blagoja Milevski’s side came at Wembley in June 2023.
Like his compatriot, Babunski has been a smash hit in the city of Discovery, and is yet to taste defeat in a tangerine jersey having made seven appearances to date.
Cool, calm and collected ????
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) August 11, 2024
???????? @DavidBabunski is going from strength to strength in a #DUFC jersey pic.twitter.com/gytMp3Xa8n
The midfielder will also go shoulder-to-shoulder in battle with his brother, Dorian, who leads the line for Swiss outfit Grasshopper Club Zurich.
Trapanovski and Babunski are the first United players to be included in the same international squad since Garry Kenneth and Scott Robertson in 2010.
Richard Odada - Kenya
Despite being the youngest United player to jet off on national duty next month, Odada is the most experienced at international level, already boasting 17 Kenya caps aged just 23.
Furthermore, he has being named in the starting XI for the Harambee Stars’ last 11 consecutive matches, putting almost 1,000 minutes of action under his belt in the process.
Kenya begin their quest to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by hosting Zimbabwe on Wednesday 4 September, before heading south for a joust with Namibia on Tuesday 10 September.
Jort van der Sande - Bonaire
Since pledging allegiance to the exotic Caribbean island in which he spent the majority of his childhood, the industrious frontman has been capped three times by Bonaire boss Rilove Janga.
Our number 20 grabbed his first goal contribution for United during the aforementioned tussle with Dundee, unselfishly teeing up fellow summer signing Trapanovski to break the deadlock on Matchday One.
van der Sande will be aiming to get off the mark for his country as they enter their fifth CONCACAF Nations League campaign. He is set to line up in clashes with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Friday 6 September, and El Salvador, Monday 9 September.
