Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has revealed the immense buzz around his call-up to the England squad for Euro 2016 and how Louis van Gaal broke the news to him.
The 19-year-old striker, who burst onto scene in the 2015-16 campaign after only making his first-team debut in February, did enough to work his way into then-manager Roy Hodgson's plans for the tournament in France.
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And Rashford has lifted the lid on how he found out about the news in May 2016, with former United boss Van Gaal having told him immediately after a training session.
He told The Players’ Tribune: “A lot of people think I came out of nowhere. And to be honest, this past year has gone by so quickly that I still can’t believe it myself sometimes.
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"One day during training with United last season, my team-mates told me that I’d been selected for the national team to go to Euro 2016. I literally didn’t believe it. I thought they were joking.
"I’d only just made my debut for Manchester United a few months before. Phil Jones came up to me as we were heading into the changing rooms and said, 'I'm tellin' ya mate, you’re going to France'.
"As I made my way into the building, some of the staff were telling me the same thing. When I got my mobile phone out of my locker, there were messages from my friends, my brothers, my mum, all saying the same thing: England!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"At that point, I was buzzing, but still kind of confused. And then my manager at the time, Louis van Gaal, walked up to me. ‘Quick word?' I didn’t know what to think.
"I mean, I had expected to play with the under-21s, but what he told me was massive. ‘The national team phoned,’ he said. ‘Go and enjoy yourself.’ That was it. I was going to France."
Rashford made two appearances for the Three Lions in France before they were knocked out by Iceland at the last-16 stage, while he has featured in 38 games in all competitions for United this season, scoring seven goals.