Trai Hume has been handed his first call-up to the Northern Ireland senior squad. The young Sunderand defender has been included in Ian Baraclough's 25-man squad for the friendlies against Luxembourg and Hungary later this month.
Black Cats' midfielder, and Northern Ireland regular, Corry Evans is also in the squad. But for Hume it is his first inclusion in the senior squad, having previously represented his country at U17, U18, U19, and U21 levels.
Hume, who turns 20 on Friday, joined Sunderland from Irish League side Linfield in January. The right-back made his Sunderland debut in the defeat at Cheltenham in early February, and also played in Alex Neil's first game in charge of the Black Cats which ended in a 1-1 draw at AFC Wimbledon last month.
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Hume said: "Making my international debut would be a dream. I think my family would be more proud of me doing that than anything else.
"I am realistic and try to set goals that are not too far away, like for six months and a year to see what I can do in that time, and then if stuff comes it comes. It wasn't something I was expecting this soon.
"I thought if I did come here and get a run of games I might have got it, but I've only played a couple so I wasn't really expecting it. Obviously I thought I got on quite well when I did play for the U21s but I didn't think it was this close.
"Ringing my dad and my mum, they were actually more excited than me because I'm quite a chilled person and don't get excited over too many things. They were over the moon."
Hume found out on Sunday, and said: "I woke up on Sunday morning and we were coming into the training ground to train after the game on Saturday. I saw a number come up on my phone and I was kind of thinking who is that?
"I answered and obviously Ian [Baraclough] said it was him. I was kind of like what's he ringing me for?
"He gave me the news and I didn't know what to say. I probably said thank you about five or six times."
Northern Ireland take on Luxembourg at the Stade de Luxembourg on Friday, March 25, before Hungary visit Windsor Park on Tuesday, March 29. With both Hume and Evans away on international duty, Sunderland need just one more call-up at either senior or U21 level to give them the option of asking for their League One game against leaders Rotherham United at the Stadium of Light - scheduled for Saturday, March 26 - to be postponed.
Players who could be called up include defender Bailey Wright, who has been part of the Australia set-up in recent times, or striker Ross Stewart who has been tipped for a Scotland call after scoring 22 league goals so far this season. Dennis Cirkin and Callum Doyle have represented England at U20 and U19 levels respectively this season, but call-ups below U21 level do not count towards the three that clubs need in order to ask for a postponement.
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