In our ongoing series on Northern Irishmen who played for other countries (and vice versa), it’s time for The Dominican Republic. Previous articles include –
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For Australia
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For Canada
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For New Zealand
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For USA
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For Scotland
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For England
Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For Channel Islands
Northern Ireland and The Dominican Republic links
Officially Northern Ireland have never played The Dominican Republic at full level. We did have a Caribbean tour in 2004, but on that trip we only played Barbados (1-1), Saint Kitts And Nevis (2-0) and Trinidad and Tobago (3-0). Extending our reach to the Central American countries, we have also played Honduras (1-1, 1982), Mexico (0-3, 1994), Costa Rica (0-1, 2018) and Panama (0-0, 2018).
Here is a list of Northern Irish footballers who have played for The Dominican Republic.
1.Alberto Baldé Almánzar
Born – Madrid, Spain (21st March 2002)
Northern Ireland Career –
Under 15 – 2 caps.
Under 16 – 9 caps, 4 goals.
Clubs – Portadown, Middlesbrough, Pickering Town.
Dominican Republic Career –
Full level – 2 caps
Wikipedia on Alberto – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Bald%C3%A9
Portadown Facebook post on Alberto – https://www.facebook.com/PortadownFCofficial/photos/a.584184924971755.1073741849.311343008922616/1600523666671204/?type=3
Wee Alberto is an odd story so it is. Born in Spain in 2002, he qualified to play international football for Spain (birth), Northern Ireland (work), Guinea-Bissau (Dad) and The Dominican Republic (Mum).
In 2017, Alberto Balde (then 15) responded to a Google Translate advertisement aired around the world and ended up in Tayto land – he signed for Portadown! When he scored his first senior goal for the club he became Portadown’s youngest ever goalscorer aged 15, earning himself a call up for Norn Iron youth levels.
Baldé was a youth international for the Northern Ireland U15s and Northern Ireland U16s in 2017, gaining 11 caps and weighing in with 4 goals.
Later though, in June 2022, he was called up to The Dominican Republic squad where his Ma is from so he said “aye”. He made his debut for The “Dom Rep” (Dominican Republic) in a 3–2 CONCACAF Nations League loss to French Guiana on 5 June 2022, coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute.
Under current FIFA ruling, he could still represent Northern Ireland, Spain or Guinea-Bissau at full level.
