Glenn McConnell

Glenn McConnell was born in Salvador, in Brazil's Bahia state, but it is Cambridge United where he grew up as a footballer, joining the club's academy at under-9 level. He holds Irish citizenship and has represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level, winning a cap for the under-18 side in 2022.

McConnell signed his first professional contract in May 2022 and was rewarded for his progress two years later, putting pen to paper on a new deal in May 2024 that runs until June 2028. His development has been shaped by a series of loan spells outside the academy: he went to St Neots Town, where he scored three goals in ten appearances, before moving on to St Albans City, where he was more prolific still, scoring five times in 17 games. A further loan followed at Chelmsford City, where game time was harder to come by and he made six appearances without finding the net.

He made his senior debut for Cambridge United on 26 August 2023, against Leyton Orient. McConnell has yet to add to his single Ireland under-18 cap or pick up any trophies or individual honours, with his career so far built around the loan football that clubs typically use to test young attacking players outside their own first-team environment.