Brayden Clarke is continuing to write his name into the history books of Cymru after becoming the first player to be selected for three UEFA EURO finals tournaments at youth level.
Having represented Cymru at the UEFA Under-17 EURO finals in both 2023 and 2024, Clarke has now earned a place in the Cymru Under-19 squad for this summer’s UEFA U19 EURO finals on home soil, marking another significant milestone for the young Arsenal defender.
“It’s a really proud moment,” said Clarke. “Every call-up for your country is a proud feeling and especially for a major tournament that we’re hosting.”
His selection for this summer’s Under-19 finals means he will become the first Cymru player to appear at three separate UEFA youth EURO finals tournaments.
“I never really thought about representing Cymru in three EURO finals,” he admitted. “I saw it in one of the articles the other day and thought, yeah, this is a great feeling. Personally, it’s a big achievement for me and my family, and one that I hold very proudly.”
While the achievement is a notable one, Clarke believes the experience gained from previous tournaments could prove just as important as Cymru prepare to face some of Europe’s strongest nations this summer.
“Reflecting on the last two tournaments, they were two very tough tournaments and, not just for me but for the whole team, there were a lot of learnings from them,” he explained.
“Especially now, most of the squad have got at least one under their belts already and we know what to expect. In the previous tournaments, maybe we didn’t know exactly what we were going into. I think that’s important that we’ve got that experience under our belt now.”
Football runs deep within the Clarke family. Brayden is the son of former professional midfielder Nigel Quashie, who enjoyed a distinguished career across the Premier League and Championship with clubs including Queens Park Rangers, Southampton, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest.
That family connection also creates an interesting link within the current Cymru setup through head coach Chris Gunter. Quashie and Gunter faced each other in the Championship in January 2010 when Gunter’s Nottingham Forest side defeated Quashie’s QPR at the City Ground.
More than a decade later, Gunter is helping guide the next generation of Cymru players at a major UEFA finals tournament – including Quashie’s son.
“Yeah, like you say, it’s a bit of a weird one,” Clarke said with a smile. “But it’s brilliant because I go to my dad for advice and, especially with Gunts, he’s played at such a high level. It’s nice to have those people around. It’s brilliant, but it is a strange one that my dad played against him.”
The 18-year-old joined Arsenal in 2024 after leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he had spent several years developing after first joining the club at the age of nine. His progress continued at an impressive rate and, in May 2025, he received his first senior call-up for Arsenal, being named among the substitutes for a Premier League fixture at just 17 years old.
Having a father who experienced the game at the highest level has played a key role in Clarke’s development both on and off the pitch.
“It’s brilliant having someone who’s played the game, especially my dad,” he added. “It’s so good being able to go to him for advice, whether it’s the highs or the lows.
“He’s been through it all as well, so he’s someone I rely on a lot. I’m so proud of what he achieved in his career, and he just wants me to be the best I can be.”
This summer’s tournament will provide another memorable occasion for Clarke and his teammates, with all three of Cymru’s group-stage matches taking place at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham in front of the Red Wall.
“It’s a brilliant feeling, not just for me but for the whole team,” he said. “When we were younger, we all dreamed of playing in front of fans and especially our own fans. We just want to do them proud.”
Drawn alongside Spain, Germany and Denmark, Cymru face one of the toughest groups in the competition. However, Clarke insists the squad will approach the challenge with confidence.
“We’re all excited and we can’t wait to get going. It’s a very tough group, but it’s one we want to attack,” he insisted.
“We don’t want to go into these games looking to defend. We want to go into them believing that we can win. We’ve got full belief in that, and we know the quality we have in our team.”
“I just want to get going now. I don’t want to wait any longer. I’ve just got to keep preparing and prepare to the best of my ability. Hopefully the result takes care of itself, but the most important thing is the performance. Then we’ll see where that takes us.”
