LIAM Palfreeman admitted he was stunned to receive his first call-up to the England side, writes MATTHEW BRUCE

The 21-year-old, from Oxford, is in the 20-man squad for the inaugural home nations tournament in Cardiff this weekend.

It means a first taste of international futsal for Palfreeman, who only played the sport for the first time aged 16.

“I still feel pretty shocked about it now,” he said.

“When I got the email I was so surprised, I emailed them back straight away just to check they’d actually meant to send it to me.

“To represent your country in any sport is a massive achievement. It’s just a dream come true and I’m absolutely lost for words.”

Palfreeman’s path to international futsal is an unorthodox one.

Joining Oxford City at the age of nine, he worked his way up through the club’s football development pathway.

It was only while studying at City of Oxford College that his teacher, Craig Adey, invited him to try futsal.

From there he earned a trial with national champions Baku United, before eventually returning to Oxford to play for the Lions, with whom he won a remarkable FA National Futsal League and FA Futsal Cup double last season.

After August’s UEFA Futsal Cup trip to Andorra, Palfreeman signed professional terms with Italian club Citta di Falconara.

“It was difficult to leave Oxford City, because that’s where I’d been all my life,” he said.

“There is a part of me that wishes I could still be there now, playing for the Nomads with my friends.

“I’m always looking at their results, because the club will always have a place in my heart.”

The move to the continent has proven something of a culture shock, but Palfreeman is confident it will help him reach the pinnacle of the sport.

He said: “The game here is much more developed and the coaches are more tactically aware.

“I’m training three or four times a week and improving every day.

“In England, even at the top levels you’re usually playing in sports halls, whereas here every team has a proper venue of its own.

“I want to show other English players they can make a success of playing abroad and I would definitely advise others to come over and do the same.”