Sri Lanka, April 25 -- Sri Lanka Football (SLF) has taken a bold step towards realizing President Jaswar Umar's ambitious vision of crafting a world-class national football team by 2025. In pursuit of this goal, SLF has confirmed the inclusion of two professional players into the national squad.

Sam Durrant and Wade Dekker, both of Sri Lankan origin, have been enlisted to bolster the squad, hailing from football leagues in Ireland and Australia, respectively.

Samuel Joseph David Durrant, aged 22, represents an English-Sri Lankan talent currently excelling with Dundalk in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Durrant's journey includes stints with prominent clubs such as Everton, Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, and Sheffield.

Meanwhile, ...