Leeds United midfield enforcer Kalvin Phillips has admitted that he has been shocked by Gareth Southgate's decision to name him in the England squad for next month's Uefa Nations League double-header.
Phillips, who played a key role in helping Leeds seal a return to the Premier League last season, was named in Southgate's 24-man squad for the clashes with Iceland and Denmark in September on Tuesday afternoon.
It represents a massive achievement for the midfielder, who had been making big noises in the Championship over the last couple of seasons, so much so that Southgate had already visited Elland Road to watch him in action.
Now, Phillips will get the opportunity to repay Southgate's faith in him with the looming double-header against Iceland and Denmark, which will mark England's first outings since the coronavirus crisis.
Sharing just how he felt to have been named in the Three Lions squad for the first time in his career, Phillips admitted that he did not know what to say to Southgate when he broke the news to him.
"I am over the moon," Phillips told Sky Sports. "It is massive news for me, my family and the club so I am very happy and grateful for the opportunity.
"I didn't find out last night but my agent rang me and said Gareth Southgate had been in touch and wanted to speak to me.
"He rang me this morning on the way into training and obviously I was very nervous and didn't really know what to say.
"He mentioned that he had been tracking me for a while and likes the way that I play so he wanted me to come and join the lads at St George's Park.
"It has, yes, I think so. I don't think I was expecting to get into the England squad before the season has even started. I thought it would take quite a while, to be honest.
"Maybe I got lucky, I don't know."
On his decision to hand the midfielder his first international call-up, Southgate said: "The position he plays is a position where we need competition for places and the way that he plays the role and the way that he has been coached in the role is clear to see.
"It is an exciting moment for him. I spoke to him this morning (Tuesday) which was a nice reminder of what it means to somebody to be in their first England squad."
