Everton midfielder Leon Osman says he always maintained hope that he would one day pull on the England shirt.
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The 31-year-old is set to feature against Sweden in Stockholm on Wednesday, his consistent form for the Toffees having finally been rewarded with a national-team call up.
"I hoped my time hadn't passed me by," said Osman. "As an English lad I had a desire to play for my country and I was hopeful it might happen.
"I had stopped looking for my name in the squad every time, but I never gave up hope.
"I seem to have developed late in the game. I didn't make my debut until I was 21. And I wasn't a regular until I was 23. I've done everything late so it doesn't surprise me that I'm here now."
Osman went on to describe how the announcement of his call-up went at the Everton training ground.
"We were out on the training pitch and I saw a lot of staff start to filter to the side of the pitch," he said.
"The next thing the manager called us into a circle and announced I was in the squad. I got a big cheer from the side, lots of head ruffles and kidney punches. It was a great moment."
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