Football
ESPN staff 7y

Scotland international Oliver Burke reveals he was courted by England

Scotland winger Oliver Burke has told the Guardian that England made a late attempt to recruit him after he had committed his international future to the country of his birth.

Burke, 19, was born in Kirkcaldy but was eligible to play for England -- his mother's country of birth -- and grew up in Melton Mowbray.

He made his competitive debut for Scotland last month in a 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory away in Malta, but insists there was never any chance he would have switched allegiance having played for the country's under-19s.

"There was nothing direct but I did hear when I was away with the senior squad for the first time that they didn't want me to play for Scotland," Burke said. "I was like: 'No way!' I can't change -- who does that?

"I love playing for Scotland; it's my country, it's where I was born, and every time I wear the badge it's a dream come true -- goosebumps.

"They did try a little cheeky one but it was never going to happen."

Burke left Nottingham Forest towards the end of the summer transfer window to join Bundesliga side RB Leipzig for a fee in the region of £13 million, and he scored his first goal for his new club at the weekend in a 2-1 win over Augsburg.

England and Scotland are in the same World Cup qualifying group, with the two nations first meeting at Wembley on Nov. 11.

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