Kyle Walker was dreaming of another senior call-up after seizing his chance to impress Fabio Capello in England's European Under-21 Championship opener against Spain.
Walker was one of few players in Stuart Pearce's side to enhance his reputation in last night's 1-1 Group B draw in Denmark, laying on Danny Welbeck's dramatic 88th-minute equaliser in a game England look destined to lose.
The Tottenham full-back also embarked on a succession of lung-busting runs and put in more than one decent cross, taking his chance with both hands after being named as a surprise starter in Herning.
The 21-year-old could hardly have picked a better time to impress with both England boss Capello and Spurs manager Harry Redknapp looking on at the MCH Arena.
Walker, who earned two senior call-ups while on loan at Aston Villa this year, said: 'I'd love to play for my country - it's my ambition.
'When I first started playing football at seven, that's what I wanted to do.
'I just have to keep working hard on the training pitch and see what happens from there.'
Walker certainly did enough as an attacking force to expect to keep his place for Wednesday night's clash with Ukraine.
He was also part of a solid England rearguard action led by Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.
Walker said: 'I'm a defender - that's my main job. Attacking's just a bonus of my game.
'You're going to need to speak to other people to see if they liked how I defended.'
Attacking ambition: Walker goes on a trademark run against Spain on Sunday
Walker's display left head coach Pearce with a selection dilemma, with captain Michael Mancienne having been moved from right-back to midfield.
The skipper looked out of his depth and his substitution with a quarter of the game remaining had the desired effect.
Walker certainly had no intention of letting Mancienne pull rank on Wednesday night.
'I've missed out in the last few games,' he said.
'There's a great squad there and it's difficult to get a place, so I was happy when my name went up.
'I just have to show that I do deserve the shirt and I'm going to keep it.'
Pearce's other surprise selection, Tom Cleverley, failed to pay off, with the arrival of Jack Rodwell also making a difference.
Struggle: England were outplayed for much of the game
But the success of England's substitutions could not gloss over the fact they were alarmingly second best to a Spain side who, for 75 minutes, suggested their country's recent domination of world football was set to continue.
Overconfidence was perhaps their undoing and Walker admitted England's players were conscious of being embarrassed by their opponents' showboating in the closing stages.
'It is difficult,' he said.
'You get frustrated sometimes but then you have to remind yourself to keep your head.
'We knew that they were going to have a lot of possession but we just had to keep focused and keep talking.
'I thought we upped it, to be fair, in the second half.
'The gaffer said at half-time we needed to press a bit more and I thought we did that and we got the goal.
Fine form: Walker (behind Capello) has been named in two England squads after bursting on the scene at Aston Villa
'The players we've got in the dressing room are quality players and I always felt there was a goal in there somewhere.
'It's always good to get a point on the board first game and hopefully we can bounce into the next game.
'We've got good teams we're coming up against, Ukraine and Czech Republic, and we just have to keep concentrating.'
Pearce admitted England could not afford to concede possession so cheaply if they are to qualify for the knockout stages.
But if they were to meet Spain again in the final, it is hard to see anything but the same type of game as last night.
Walker said: 'If that's what happens, that's what happens. 'We just want the result.'
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?Explore more:People: Fabio Capello, Harry Redknapp, Danny Welbeck, Stuart Pearce Places: Spain, Czech Republic, Denmark, United Kingdom
Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail