Dan Burn has opened up about his journey to the international stage, revealing that he once thought his chance to represent England had slipped away. At 32, the towering Newcastle defender is savouring a remarkable week in which he's not only contributed to Newcastle's first domestic trophy win in 70 years but also joined the elite squad at St George's Park.
With Thomas Tuchel taking the reins of the England team, Burn's fortunes have turned, and he now stands on the cusp of becoming one of the oldest debutants in English football history during the World Cup qualifiers against Latvia or Albania. Overjoyed and determined, Burn shared: "I had never played any international football, which worked against us. I did think it had passed me by at 32."
He added with optimism, "But when the new manager came in it was that feeling of 'you never know'."
Keen to make the most of this belated call-up, he asserted, "I've waited a long time for this opportunity and I didn't want to spoil it. I'm not just coming in to be a cheerleader - I want to play."
Reflecting on his path to this point, Burn acknowledged the doubts he's faced, saying, "I feel like I have been doubted a lot over my career. Not many people at Darlington would have said I'd be sitting here doing a press conference for England, but as I said it has made me more resilient. I feel I deserve to be here."
With aspirations to leave a lasting mark, he concluded, "I want to make a big impression. Every little kid's dream is to play in a World Cup."
Newcastle United's no-nonsense defender has become a hero on Tyneside for his robust approach to the game, so much so that he had to apologise to England colleague Jarrod Bowen after a particularly tough match against West Ham.
Despite his newfound status among English football's elite, Burn hasn't softened, making it clear he'd have no qualms about standing up to even the most renowned players like Harry Kane and midfield maestro Jude Bellingham, stating: "Absolutely (not). I've got no problem with that."
He also touched upon the reticence within English football culture to speak out, saying, "A lot of the time in meetings sometimes people don't want to speak up because they find it, I don't know, a bit embarrassing and stuff."
But Burn believes there's a lesson to be learnt from across the pond, emphasising how American sports professionals deal with such issues: "I feel like in the US... I love NFL and all that sort of stuff and I feel like they're really good at this. They're just not bothered.
"They'll just say if they feel something that's going to help the group, they'll just get up and say that, and I feel that's something probably English football in general could learn from."
he added, highlighting the benefits of open communication: "Because I feel like we'll learn most about each other, and you get close to each other as a team."
Burn, who admits that being vulnerable can bring a team closer, suggests embracing risks: "When you do that you sort of take a risk, you stand up in front of people and speak and become a bit more vulnerable."
Reflecting on his ascent in football, Burn attributes his success to sheer determination and a bold attitude: "Just don't give up and think, just be resilient. I feel like I had this chip on my shoulder, that I want to prove people wrong.
"It was more that you get out of life what you put into it, and I just want to have no regrets in my career. That when I finished my career I've completely squeezed everything that I could from it."