Levi Colwill’s amazing year shows few signs of slowing as the defender looks to make his England debut and prove his worth to Gareth Southgate with Euro 2024 on the horizon. An impressive season-long loan with Brighton was followed by helping England Under-21s become European champions over the summer. Colwill returned to Chelsea and was rewarded with an improved six-year deal, before going onto make his debut in their season opener. The 20-year-old has been an ever-present under new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino and his eye-catching displays earned a first formal England call-up. “It has been an amazing year,” Colwill said. “There have been a lot of ups and still been downs, and a load of stuff that I have had to overcome. But it’s all part of my career and you’re going to get that. “A hundred per cent it’s all worth it in the end. You’ve got to keep working hard, that’s what I have done so far but now it’s about keep going.” Colwill cited the initial lack of game time under Graham Potter and Brighton successor Roberto De Zerbi as examples of down moments he overcame. But the success that followed on the south coast saw him brought in to train with the England senior squad in June, even travelling with them for the qualifier in Malta, before heading off on Under-21s duty. “Coming and training in June was a big blessing,” Colwill said. “I enjoyed it so much and then obviously getting formally called up now is amazing. “When I got the text I called dad straight away. I think he was getting emotional, to be honest. Dream come true. “Everyone was so welcoming and it made a big difference for me. “Now I have settled in a bit, I am ready to kick on and hopefully prepare for the upcoming week.” Colwill is hoping to make his debut against Ukraine in Saturday’s Euro 2024 qualifier in Poland, or in the Hampden Park friendly against Scotland three days later. The 20-year-old allayed fitness concerns ahead of that double-header after sitting out training on Tuesday, pointing to a tough previous week and the fact he is “a young boy still growing”. Asked if making it into next summer’s Euros squad is a target, he said: “Of course. Playing for Chelsea – one of the biggest clubs in the world – it’s got to be my aim to hopefully be in the England team come the Euros. “Obviously it’s still a long time until that comes so I’ve just got to keep working hard, pushing myself and let’s see what happens next.” England have yet to mathematically seal qualification for Euro 2024, but it has long looked a case of when rather than if their place in Germany is wrapped up. The uncapped Colwill already appears to have a strong chance of being involved – an opportunity that will only be bolstered by Chelsea boss Pochettino. Adam Lallana, who the defender calls a key influence in his career, made his England debut at Southampton under the Argentinian, who his former Brighton team-mates had praised to the hilt. Colwill took that on board when committing his future to Chelsea, where he is excited to develop under a manager with a fine track record of maximising English talent. “I think the big thing for me was the first day I came in, him just putting an arm around me and showing me that he respects me as a person and also a player,” he said of Pochettino. “That allows me to work my hardest and want to play my best for him. “Just working under him in general, I know I’m going to improve. I can guarantee that because he’s such a good manager and he will push me. He won’t let me have any off days and that’s what I need. “Someone like me, if someone lets me go to sleep I might just have a good day or a bad day. But I need someone there to give me that kick up my bum and say ‘keep going’ and that’s what he does.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live On this day in 2012: Teenager Jonnie Peacock wins Paralympic 100m gold in London US Open Wrap: Novak Djokovic adds yet another milestone with semi-final berth England new boy Eddie Nketiah motivated by ‘magnificent’ Thierry Henry

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Manchester United captain Katie Zelem has represented England at all five youth levels, from the under-15s to the under-23s, but has struggled to break into the senior side’s midfield, where competition for places is fierce. Now 27, Zelem grew up in Oldham, where both her father and uncle were former professional footballers. Aged just eight, she was accepted into Manchester United Girls’ Centre of Excellence in 2004 and stayed within the club’s youth setup until 2013, when she departed for Liverpool in search of fresh opportunities to advance. She played 38 times over a four-year period for the Reds, picking up two Women’s Super League titles, scoring 10 and being named the club’s Young Player of the Year for 2014 before spending the 2017/18 season with Juventus in Italy, a dream experience in which she scored four across 18 appearances in what proved to be another championship-winning year. Returning to the UK and rejoining Manchester United, Zelem has since established herself at the centre of the side’s midfield, a position she has gradually settled on after starting out as a winger, modelling herself on Fara Williams and Andres Iniesta. The Red Devils won the FA Women’s Championship in 2018/19 and, the following season, she was named captain following the departure of Alex Greenwood, leading a side that currently features fellow Lionesses Mary Earps and Ella Toone. Zelem’s talent and leadership is not in doubt but she faces a difficult task in attempting to break into Sarina Wiegman’s first team in Australia and New Zealand this summer, given that doing so would require disrupting the central partnership between Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway that proved so effective on home soil a year ago. Get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here A reputation for picking up yellow cards may also not help her case. Read More How to watch England vs Haiti: TV channel and start time for Women’s World Cup opener Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule

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Milan’s two biggest clubs meet in the Champions League final four hoping to book their place in the European final. It is the first time in 20 years that AC Milan and Inter have clashed so late in the competition but their meeting guarantees a first Italian competitor in the final since 2017. Both clubs have history in this competition, Inter last won the trophy in 2010 under Jose Mourinho while Milan dominated the Champions League at the start of the millennium and in the 90s. They have been evenly matched domestically with the pair currently fourth and fifth in Serie A, and both teams will recognise this major opportunity to return to European football’s biggest stage. The fitness of AC Milan star Rafael Leao is the big talking point ahead of the game but Milan will make a late call on his participation after the Portuguese winger suffered a muscle injury. The winner of this semi final will face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in Istanbul on 10th June after the Spanish and English champions played out a 1-1 draw in their semi-final first left last night. Follow all the action from the Milan derby as AC Milan and Inter clash in the Champions League: Read More AC Milan are back – but not as how you remember them The Milan derby crowns Serie A’s return - here is why it means so much more Olivier Giroud ‘more motivated than ever’ as AC Milan chase Champions League win

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