Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite received his first England call-up on Thursday afternoon.
Gareth Southgate has selected the defender for the Three Lions’ upcoming fixtures against Brazil and Belgium.
The 21-year-old has been a pivotal figure in Sean Dyche’s side this season, scoring three goals and forming a rock-solid partnership with James Tarkowski.
Despite Everton’s lowly position, the Toffees’ defence has registered eight clean sheets this season, the third-best in the Premier League thus far.
Talking to Everton’s YouTube Channel, Branthwaite revealed how he found out about his first senior call-up.
“I found out in training, the gaffer pulled me and told me that i’d been selected. I was buzzing when I heard the news. Got into training, and it’s all I could think about, really,” he said.
Jarrad Branthwaite sends three-word message after England call-up
Branthwaite also took to Instagram after the news and posted a three-word message to his followers.
In reaction to the squad announcement, Branthwaite wrote: “Dream come true”.
Can Jarrad Branthwaite make England impact?
There’s every chance Branthwaite will make an impact on England over the coming years.
The centre of defence is by no means the strongest of areas for Southgate, with John Stones probably the only player who is nailed on to start.
Harry Maguire is well-thought-of by the England boss but has endured a tough couple of years.
Furthermore, Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez are in a similar position to the Everton star, having not played much international football.
If he impresses over the next couple of weeks, Branthwaite could be in Germany for this summer’s European Championships.
Playing on the international stage will no doubt see interest grow. The defender has already been linked with a move away from Goodison Park in recent months.
Regardless of the rumours, Dyche has remained steadfast in his desire to retain the defender’s services.
He said: “We’re not in the business of trying to sell players. You only sell players if you have to sell players or there’s a problem. There’s no problem; therefore, I’m just hoping we don’t need to sell players. At the minute, we certainly don’t. So we will see.”