England and Southampton left-back Luke Shaw has expressed shock at his inclusion into the England squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
The England starlet heard about Ashley Cole’s retirement and was still basking in the doubt as to whether he will be getting Cole’s position on not. The 18-year old defender admits “I seriously can’t believe it still, When I found out Ashley Cole wasn’t going I had that thought it could be me going but I didn’t want to over-think saying ‘I am definitely going’ because I didn’t receive anything that night.”
“I thought everyone was getting a phone call on Sunday night and I was speaking with Ads (Adam Lallana) and Lambo (Rickie Lambert) asking if they had got one and once it went past 10pm none of us had had the call so we thought we were among the seven not going.
He recalled how he use to watch the team play at the World Cup four years ago; “When the squad came out the next afternoon me and my family sat there thinking ‘I’m 18 and I’m going to a World Cup’. Four years ago I was sat at home watching it on my sofa. It is going to be so weird.”
The Southampton defender said of his inclusion; “I am still shocked that I am actually going. You always had that thought in your head that you might be picked because Roy (Hodgson) was watching a lot of our games, not just for me of course.
“But I wasn’t expecting it. I thought I might be in the 30-man squad so to represent my country at a World Cup when I am only 18 is the best feeling in the world and I want more of it. Time flies. A year ago I made my Under-21 debut and now I’m going to a World Cup. Things can happen so fast. I am going to pray I don’t get injured so I can be on that plane to Brazil.”