Greenwood reacts to maiden England call-up
Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood says it is a ‘privilege’ and an ‘honour’ to have received his first international call-up.
The 18-year-old was last week selected in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the forthcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Iceland and Denmark.
Our no.26 could become one of a handful of teenagers to pull on the Three Lions jersey if chosen to play.
“It’s a dream come true, really,” Greenwood told reporters via Zoom, from England’s Three Lions base at St George’s Park on Tuesday.
“Playing for England and being selected for England is every young boy’s dream. I’m privileged and honoured to be selected because it’s a good group of lads and I’m happy to be here.”
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Mason, who has played four Under-21s international games, went on to reveal how he found out he’d made it into Southgate’s reckoning for the first games since the coronavirus pandemic.
“I got the phone call, I was at home with my dad,” said Greenwood.
“I was over the moon; I was excited and I couldn’t wait to be here. The manager rang me so obviously it’s good to get the call off him and speak to him about it and come to St George’s.
“He told me about my selection, which I was over the moon with, and [we spoke] about my season with United as well.
“[My dad] was buzzing for me but he’s level-headed so he kept me down really. He’s just excited for me, my whole family was. It’s a dream come true, like I said before, it’s good news.”
Greenwood’s call-up caps a stellar rise, with the Bradford-born striker notching 17 goals in 49 appearances during his breakthrough season at Old Trafford.
If he does appear during either of the two matches, in Reykjavik and Copenhagen respectively, Mason will become the third-youngest of United’s England debutants, after Duncan Edwards and Marcus Rashford.
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