England call-up means ‘everything’ to Jarrod Bowen after journey from non-league

Jarrod Bowen admits an England career felt “a million miles away” as he was plying his trade in non-league football just eight years ago.

The 25-year-old West Ham forward earned a maiden Three Lions call-up for the forthcoming Nations League fixtures following a fine Premier League campaign.

Bowen ended the season with 12 league goals as the Hammers secured European qualification through their league position for a second successive year.

Having seen his chances of a first cap thwarted by injury back in March, Bowen’s form endured on his return to the West Ham side and he is now in line to make his England debut in the coming weeks.

It would see the culmination of a rise to the top of the game that was almost ended when former club Hereford went bankrupt in 2014.

Asked where his England dreams were at that stage Bowen replied: “A million miles away, at the time it was Conference football for my local team and that was it.

“Obviously you have dreams but you don’t think of someone from Hereford, to get a move to Hull in the first place, it was just playing for my local team and just playing week in, week out in the Conference.

“Sometimes I sit back and look back at where we’ve come from, and especially being in an England camp now – not being big-headed, I’ve got to take my hat off to myself from where I’ve come from and what I’ve done.

“It is everything. Everything you dream of when you’re growing up and to get the call, obviously it’s an honour and a privilege of mine.”

Bowen joined his new England team-mates at St George’s Park earlier in the week, including West Ham team-mate Declan Rice – with Bowen unequivocal when asked if there was any better defensive midfielder in the Premier League.

“I don’t think so,” he said.