Mason Greenwood: England Call-Up is a dream come true

Manchester United teenage sensation Mason Greenwood got his dream call-up to England national team recently and the 18-year-old forward calls the opportunity a “dream come true”.

Indeed, like Mason Greenwood, the dream of every professional footballer is to be called up by his national team and probably have the opportunity to be capped in major competitions.

Some footballers wait until in their mid-20s to realize such a dream while others get the called up in their late 20s. A very few players that are extremely special get the opportunity to play for their country’s senior team as teenagers. That is the category Mason Greenwood falls into.

The Manchester United teenager who has played for England under-15 to under-21 was not expected to make it to a very competitive national team like England at this stage of his career but Mason Greenwood’s performance in the 2019-2020 season was too overwhelming to be ignored.

From the blues, the Manchester United‘s academy graduate broke into the club’s senior team in September 2019 in a UEFA Europa League match against Astana. Mason Greenwood scored a goal in the match and became Manchester United‘s youngest ever footballer to score in European competition at the age of 17 years, 353 days.

Mason Greenwood’s stunning display in that match drove him deep into the heart of the club’s football manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Hence, he went on to play a total of 49 matches in all competitions, in which he scored 17 goals and provided 5 assists.

“The games have come so quickly and you have to be focused 100% at all times,” Mason Greenwood said. “My whole family was excited for me and it’s a dream come true.

“It’s happened quick. You can be called on at any time and I got called in for some Europa League games early in the season and took my chances and took every game as it came and just played my football.

“Ole’s a big part of my game, really. Obviously, he’s helped me to get where I am now and he’s given me the chance to prove to everyone what I can do.

“I am glad he’s there and he’s a good manager. When he’s talking to me I am always listening and always taking his advice on.”

Mason Greenwood’s ability to listen to his club’s manager created a chance for him to keep impressing football lovers across the world. And of course, the head coach of the England national team, Gareth Southgate, had no choice than to hand him his first call-up.

If he is given the chance, the world would see him in England‘s colors on September 5 and 8, 2020 against Iceland and Denmark in the European Nations League.

Mason Greenwood wants to be remembered

At this point, the Manchester United star who won the Premier League-two player of the month, April 2019, would not just want to be on the bench, he would want to play some minutes of the game if not 90 minutes for the team.

Since he can no longer break the record of being the youngest player to score for the England senior football team which was set by Theo Walcott at age 17 and 74 days on 30 May 2006, Mason Greenwood would not mind finding other means to set a record for himself and the team.

He said, “obviously any young football player would want to break records. And if you didn’t, there’s something wrong.

“It’s always nice to have visions and goals you set in your football career and that goes for virtually any England forward.

“Just go out there and do your best and break records and just be remembered forever, really.”

A proud moment for me and my family to be called up for @England pic.twitter.com/AnIvaBPxyf

— Mason Greenwood (@masongreenwood) August 25, 2020