Andrew Crofts (footballer) - International Career

International Career

As one of his grandparents was born in Wales he was eligible to play for the Welsh national team, and after representing the country at under-19 and under-21 level he won his first senior cap, an award given to a player representing his national team, in 2005. In 2008 he won his twelfth cap, breaking the record for the most international caps received by a Gillingham player. Crofts was selected for the Welsh national under-19 team in 2002, qualifying due to having a Welsh grandparent. He made his first appearance for the team in the Milk Cup tournament in Northern Ireland, but was forced to return home after suffering an ankle injury in the Welsh team's first match. In total he made eight appearances at under-19 level, including appearing in a second Milk Cup in 2003.

After moving up to the under-21 level Crofts was selected for the national under-21 team for the first time for a match against Germany in February 2005. He went on to gain 12 caps at this level, scoring one goal.

He made his debut for the Welsh national team against Azerbaijan on 12 October 2005, coming on as a substitute for Carl Fletcher. At the end of the 2005–06 season, as part of manager John Toshack's policy of introducing young players to the team, Crofts gained two further caps, both as a substitute, against Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago, and also played in an unofficial international match against a Basque Country XI.

He was included in the starting line-up for an international for the first time in August 2007 when he played the full 90 minutes of a match against Bulgaria, but was back on the substitutes' bench for the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Germany the following month. He became established as a regular member of the Welsh squad during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying tournament.