Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has insisted that he was always confident of earning international recognition with England and will not be overwhelmed at the World Cup.
The 19-year-old has burst onto the scene this season, featuring in 30 games so far and finding himself in strong contention to start next weekend's Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold's form was rewarded with a call-up to the England senior side for Russia 2018, despite never previously being capped at senior level.
While the Reds' academy product was always confident of making it for club and country, he admits that the speed of his breakthrough was not expected.
"I have always thought 'take a step at a time'," he told The Telegraph. "Even though it is hard to say this, I have never felt overwhelmed in that situation.
"Every situation has been a goal and a dream so I have thought about it many times and nothing has really been a surprise. Even though the timing has been a surprise - I never felt right now I would be going to a World Cup - I always dreamed I would be going at some point.
"I have thought things over in my mind millions of times growing up. Every situation that has happened I have imagined."
Everton's Tom Davies is the only current teenager to have played more minutes in the Premier League this season than Alexander-Arnold.
Daniel Lewis
