Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite finds himself in the England squad for the first time but the defender almost quit before even signing a professional deal

Jarrad Branthwaite has revealed he almost quit football at the age of 15 when his dream of making it big threatened to turn into a nightmare.

Branthwaite was a teenage hopeful on the books of Carlisle United when he was struck down with chronic tendonitis in his knee. He was put on a month’s trial once he got fit again, to see if he was worth a club scholarship deal. And it was only the support of his parents that persuaded him not to turn his back on football to pursue a career is something else.

Branthwaite, 21, must be glad he listened to the advice, considering he know finds himself in the England squad for the first time following a stand-out season for Everton.

Branthwaite said: “I had tendonitis in my knee. I was out for 18 months and couldn’t run, that was about when I was 15. So Carlisle weren’t going to give me a scholarship. They gave me a four-week trial period to basically see if I wanted it enough, and then they ended up giving me one.

“And then within two, three months I was given my first professional contract. But if it wasn’t for my mum and dad, I probably wouldn’t have carried on. In my mind, I was thinking ‘if they don’t want me know, what’s four weeks gonna do?’.

“But my dad gave me a training programme, and I stuck to that, and it helped me get a scholarship. It was something which I worked so hard for over that period of time, and then to get given the professional contract that quick, it made the hard work worth it.”

Branthwaite has never looked back since. He joined Everton in 2020 and following loan spells with Blackburn and PSV Eindhoven, returned to Goodison Park to establish himself as one of the best young defenders in the game.

The centre back now finds himself rubbing shoulders with the best talent in English football – and with the chance to gatecrash Gareth Southgate’s squad for this summer’s Euros. And Branthwaite admits he is in no mood to pass up the opportunity of a lifetime. He said: “I think for any footballer, you’ve just got to make the most of every opportunity you’re given. Every time you step on the pitch, you got to give it your all, and perform at the best you can, and see where that you takes you. I’m just buzzing to be here.

“Gareth just said that after the season I have had, I’m here on merit with the performances I have put in. He told me to come in and be confident and do what I would do at club level for England. If you’d have said at the start of the season that I would be in the England squad, then I probably wouldn’t have believed it.

“But that’s where I am now – and I’m very happy to be here. Getting the call for the seniors was a dream come true.”