Dan Burn wants to be more than just a bit-part player for England as the national team begins its qualification campaign for the 2026 Fifa Men’s World Cup.
Fresh off picking up his Carabao Cup winners medal at Wembley on Sunday, the Newcastle United centre-back received his first call-up to the squad ahead of home qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
If Thomas Tuchel were to hand Burn his debut this week, he would be one of the oldest debutants in English football history at the age of 32. But the veteran defender wants to do more than just cheer the team on from the sidelines.
Dan Burn won’t be England ‘cheerleader’ ahead of World Cup
“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity and I didn’t want to spoil it,” Burn told the media at a press conference on Tuesday.
“He [Tuchel] said I’ve been playing well for a long time. I’m not just coming in to be a cheerleader – I want to play.
“You need to be given those opportunities. Now I want to make the most of it and get on the pitch as much as possible.”
Burn has shown versatility in his game in recent years, playing as a wing-back and left-back for both Brighton and Newcastle, and says he’s ready to play anywhere if it gets him on the pitch for England.
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“I want to contribute – I don’t care where I play. I will play right wing if it gets me on the pitch.”
Burn is eyeing a place in the squad at next year’s World Cup in north America, but isn’t getting ahead of himself.
“I’m trying to take it camp by camp and make a big impression as I can and try make the next camp. Every little kid’s dream is to play in a World Cup.
“To know I have got that opportunity, if I take it, is special.”
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Making Tuchel’s first squad since replacing Gareth Southgate as manager could be the springboard for an England career that didn’t look coming to fruition after he missed out on Qatar 2022.
“I feel being in that first camp is important,” Burn said. “It means I am there, but I don’t want to be there for no reason. I want to be there because I have proved [I should] be there.”
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