Michael Forbes had just returned to Northern Ireland when he got the call. ‘We want you to train with the first team’ was the message down the line. Instead of joining his country’s U21s after a few days off, the 19-year-old was linking with the senior squad, training, and looking to impress. What followed was a trip to Finland for Northern Ireland’s final UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier – and a senior international debut. “The coaches told me to go and get ready and I was like ‘Jeez!’ – I’m coming on here.’

Source: Forbes January 08, 2024 14:43 UTC