Bournemouth Home Nations' Stars Shine as Trio Impress Abroad

AFC Bournemouth's international contingent for the home nations were in action on Saturday evening as preparations for this summer's World Cup continued for England and Scotland, plus Wales had a testing friendly with Romania - and a number of Cherries players made some notable contributions...

Scotland delivered one of the most eye-catching results of the international window with an emphatic victory over Bolivia in New Jersey, and Bournemouth winger Ben Gannon-Doak played a central role in the success.

The talented wide man was a constant threat down the right flank, showcasing the pace, direct running and creativity that have made him such an exciting prospect. His efforts were rewarded when he provided the assist for Scotland's third goal, setting up striker Che Adams as Steve Clarke's side completed a dominant display ahead of their first men's World Cup appearance in 28 years.

Doak was not the only Bournemouth player to impress for the Scots. Ryan Christie also produced an influential performance, operating on the opposite wing and helping drive Scotland forward throughout the contest. Christie played an important role in the build-up to the opening goal and was heavily involved again as Scotland doubled their advantage, underlining his importance to the national team as they continue their preparations for the tournament.

Elsewhere, David Brooks was on target for Wales despite his side slipping to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Romania. The result extended Wales' wait for an away friendly victory to 18 years, but Brooks provided a memorable moment shortly after entering the match from the bench.

Having been introduced as a substitute, the Bournemouth attacker needed only three minutes to make an impact. Meeting a cross from Dan James, Brooks produced an excellent volley that flew beyond Romanian goalkeeper Stefan Tarnovanu to level the score at 1-1. It was a finish of real quality from the winger, akin to his 2025 strike against Everton for Bournemouth - and it marked his 45th senior appearance for Wales since making his international debut in 2017.

Brooks had also featured earlier in the week when Wales drew 1-1 with Ghana in Cardiff, playing for an hour before being replaced by Nathan Broadhead. However, despite his latest goal, Wales were unable to avoid defeat in Bucharest as Adrian Rus headed home David Matei's cross late in the game to secure victory for the hosts.

For England, Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott was named among the substitutes as Thomas Tuchel's side continued their World Cup preparations with a narrow victory over New Zealand in Tampa. Although many Cherries supporters were hoping to see the Daily Echo Player of the Season earn minutes, Scott remained an unused substitute as Tuchel opted to rotate heavily throughout the match.

England captain Harry Kane scored the decisive goal just before half-time, heading home his 79th international goal in 113 appearances. Tuchel then made sweeping changes after the interval as he assessed his squad ahead of England's opening World Cup group-stage fixture against Croatia on 17th June.

One notable moment saw Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha handed his senior debut, becoming the fifth-youngest player ever to represent England.

While Scott watched from the bench, another Bournemouth player did feature in the contest. Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen came on late for New Zealand and quickly made an impression, producing a smart save within minutes of entering the action.

Paulsen spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Polish side Lechia Gdańsk, and while his long-term future remains uncertain, the goalkeeper continues to gain valuable international experience with the All Whites.

The New Zealand international had also started his country's previous World Cup warm-up match against Haiti earlier in the week. Paulsen played 49 minutes of the game before being substituted, with New Zealand ultimately suffering a 4-0 defeat as they continued their preparations for the tournament.

With Bournemouth players contributing across Scotland, Wales, England and New Zealand, it was another busy international weekend for the club's representatives, with Doak and Brooks particularly standing out through an assist and a goal respectively.