Ethan Amapdu has revealed his heart was always set on playing for Wales – despite being able to choose both England and Ireland.
The Chelsea midfielder – who does not turn 18 until next week – produced a masterful central midfield performance in Wales’ 4-1 UEFA Nations League victory over Ireland on Thursday.
Ampadu’s appearance against Ireland ended any lingering doubts over his international future.
The Exeter-born player previously played twice for Wales, against France and Panama last autumn.
But those games were both friendlies and he could have switched international allegiance with the option of playing for England, Ghana, or Ireland — his dad Kwame played as an Irish U21, the former Arsenal man having been brought up in Dublin.
But Ethan says his heart was always set on Wales.
“There was talk (about his future), but I’ve always been thinking about Wales,” said Ampadu.
“I’ve always felt part of the set-up and the senior players and staff have helped that.
“The older, more experienced players definitely help us settle in, and that gives us more confidence to go out on the pitch and express ourselves.”
Ampadu has vowed to impress Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri and break into the first-team picture at Stamford Bridge. He made seven appearances under Antonio Conte last season before fracturing his ankle in March, and has yet to feature for new Blues boss Sarri.
“You could say there’s been frustration on one hand, but at the same time I’m getting experience training with the players,” said Ampadu who has remained in west London and not been loaned out like so many Chelsea youngsters.
“I’m just trying to improve to get into the team.
“This season’s plans are this season’s plans and at the moment I’ve just to keep improving to try and get in the team.
“I want to show the manager what I can do.”
The nature of Wales’ win provided some payback for the pain felt last October when the Republic ended their World Cup ambitions with a 1-0 win over Chris Coleman’s side in Cardiff.
Although Wales midfielder Joe Allen accepted that Wales had lost the game that “really mattered”, he insisted some comfort was to be gained from beating their Celtic cousins so emphatically.
“You can’t help but want to beat that team,” said Allen.
“It was hugely disappointing last time, that was the one that really mattered and the big opportunity.
“That will always hang over us and be a disappointment we will always carry.
“But it’s great we have been able to move on I guess, and we have come a long way in that year with the youngsters now in the squad.”
Wales now move on to play Denmark in their second Nations League match in Aarhus on Sunday.
And it will be Denmark’s first team which provides the opposition after the extraordinary row over commercial rights was finally resolved.
The row led to Denmark fielding a team of lower-league and futsal players in the 3-0 friendly defeat to Slovakia on Wednesday, but Christian Eriksen and company are back against Wales.
Allen added: “The message was to focus completely on the Ireland game, which we did to a certain degree, but you couldn’t help but keep an eye on what was going on.
“But it’s always great when you have two games, especially when you do so well in the first game.
“We are going to take huge positives and confidence into the second one on Sunday.”