England starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi praises 'amazing' Jadon Sancho impact after rapid rise to senior team

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Vaishali Bhardwaj24 March 2019

Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed how Jadon Sancho helped him cope with his "crazy" call-up to the England senior side this week - which ended in the Chelsea winger being handed his debut in a 5-0 win over the Czech Republic at Wembley.

Hudson-Odoi, 18, was promoted from the Under-21 set-up to the senior team after five players withdrew from Gareth Southgate's squad through injury.

Despite having not started a Premier League game this season, Hudson-Odoi went on to become England's youngest-ever debutant in a competitive match after he was sent on in the Euro 2020 qualifier against the Czech Republic - where the winger played a key role in the fifth goal.

Southgate is no stranger to handing youngsters a chance, with Sancho having made his England debut in October last year.

The Borussia Dortmund starlet, also 18, won his fourth cap on Friday night - and Hudson-Odoi admits the winger has helped him deal with his own elevation to the England senior side.

Debutant: Callum Hudson-Odoi made his senior England bow against the Czech Republic at Wembley
AP

"We have known each other since we were very young," Hudson-Odoi told reporters about Sancho. "We used to play against each other and we were always close friends.

"No matter whether it was Chelsea against Watford, [or] where we used to play against each other. We have always talked to each other off the pitch, called each other, speak to each other, see how the other one is going and he has had a great season.

"Since I have been here with England, he has helped me from day one, always made me feel comfortable and confident. Having a friend like that is amazing, just to bring you into the team and help yourself and be yourself. It is amazing."

When asked about the pair's apparent fearless attitude to playing at the elite level, Hudson-Odoi replied: "From young, I have been the same. We have both been playing as we did on the street, that's just how we play. We have been playing as we did in the park and cages.

"We have that raw mentality just to go at defenders. Be confident, be yourself, don't be shy in front of anyone. That's great that we have the confidence and ability to do that and you never know [what can happen]."

While Sancho has been rewarded for leaving Manchester City for Dortmund, where he has become a regular in a side challenging for the Bundesliga title, Hudson-Odoi has found starts at Chelsea hard to come by.

Fellow youngster Jadon Sancho has been a massive help to Hudson-Odoi
Getty Images

Indeed, the 18-year-old's lack of game time this term resulted in Hudson-Odoi handing in a transfer request after Bayern Munich lodged four unsuccessful bids for his services.

Since then, Maurizio Sarri has played the Chelsea academy graduate more and, when asked whether he has felt impatience in his quest for regular minutes for both club and country, Hudson-Odoi rejected the idea.

"No, I am not impatient in that way," he said. "I am always keen to play the game and loving playing football, but at times you have got to remain patient and wait for your time to come. Hopefully, many more will come.

"I always had the same mentality whatever age group it is. Whether it is U18s, U21s, first team or whatever it is. I still have the same mentality. I am not going to change because I have had one game for the first team or anything like that.

"I will go over there [with the U21s], be humble and be the same way. I will work hard as always. If I go over there, I will be the same way as I have been and I will be confident and be myself."

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