Ahead of the October international break, the West Ham United website provided a list of eight players who would be representing their countries at senior level, from Jarrod Bowen to Lucas Paqueta and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
But there was a ninth, tucked away at the bottom of the page.
A West Ham United youngster who, at the age of just 18, has already earned more caps for his country than Mads Hermansen, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jean-Clair Todibo and Alphonse Areola.
With six senior international outings before his 19th birthday, Gabriel Caliste should soon overtake the likes of James Ward-Prowse [11 caps for England] and Callum Wilson [nine Three Lions appearances], too.
This, of course, is the benefit of representing a nation with a much smaller pool of talent.
Jarrod Bowen faces competition for a starting role at next summer’s World Cup from the likes of Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Noni Madueke. Mads Hermansen’s World Cup dream may go unfulfilled, with the legendary Kasper Schmeichel still very much Denmark’s number one.
And while Mateus Fernandes captained Portugal to an 11-0 thrashing of Gibraltar’s youth side this month, he remains behind Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Joao Palhinha and Vitinha in Roberto Martinez’s pecking order.
If Gabriel Caliste goes on to make even a handful of cameo appearances in the Premier League for West Ham, in contrast, he will rapidly become one of the most successful footballers ever to emerge from the island of Mauritius.
A first goal for the Hammers at Under-21 level in Friday’s 1-0 victory over Aston Villa certainly represented a step forward at club level for a player who has more international caps than senior domestic matches.
Mauritious international Gabriel Caliste scores first U21 goal for West Ham United
Described by the official West Ham website as ‘a versatile, athletic, technically-gifted player who can operate in defence or midfield’, Caliste graduated from the Under-18s after an impressive 2024/25 campaign.
He featured as West Ham beat Reading in the Premier League Cup final in May.
Six months later, now playing Under-21 football for the first time in a claret and blue shirt, Caliste opened his account at this level.
There was no real surprise about who made the goal in Friday’s 1-0 victory over Aston Villa. Emeke Adiele has six assists for West Ham’s reserves this season. He would not claim a seventh just yet – a trademark fizzing delivery from the left touched a Villa defender before making its way to Caliste – but the two 18-year-olds would combine to help West Ham leapfrog their opponents in the Premier League 2 table.
“I thought we played some excellent attacking football today, creating numerous opportunities,” said Greg Lincoln, taking charge on an interim basis after Mark Robson was promoted to Nuno’s first-team staff. “We deservedly went 1-0 up [through Caliste in the 38th minute].
“If anything, we could have scored more. That’s the next bit for us, can we put the game to bed?”
Caliste reflects on his journey from West Ham to Millwall to West Ham again
Talking of ‘the next bit’, Caliste will be hoping to consolidate his place in the U21 roster after his landmark goal. Who knows how many international caps he will have accumulated for Mauritius, though, before the time comes for him to make his senior debut in the club game.
“I’ve had my own journey, which has featured many ups and downs,” Caliste told the West Ham website after signing professional terms in January. This is actually his second spell in the academy, either side of a stint with Millwall.
“I’ve found my way back here and I couldn’t be prouder of my journey.
“Getting released is one of the toughest experiences you can have as a young footballer. When I got let go, my confidence was very low. I had to take a step back and rebuild my confidence and learn to fall in love with football again.”
Understandably, given that he has gone through more in his career already than some players do in a lifetime, maturity is one of the attributes Caliste is most renowned for.
“I’m so pleased for him,” Academy Manager Kenny Brown said. “I’ve followed his journey almost since the beginning so I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s had a tough journey up until this point.
“He’s gained some great experience representing the Mauritius national team, exposed to different challenges and we’re reaping the benefits of that. He’s a genuine and attentive kid who wants to do well and is a great learner.
“We’re excited as staff to see what he can bring to the development side once he settles down into the Under-21s.”
