Three years ago, Trai Hume was lining out for Linfield in the Irish Premiership. On Thursday, he will captain Northern Ireland for the first time.
It has been a remarkable rise for the 22-year-old, who has not only settled at Sunderland since joining in January 2022, but thrived at a side who sit unbeaten at the top of the Championship.
The defender says it will be an “honour” to captain Northern Ireland in Thursday’s Nations League opener with Luxembourg.
He made his international debut two months after his move, and just 13 caps down the line he will lead out Northern Ireland at Windsor Park – the same stadium where he used to impress for Linfield.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has spoken about how he plans to rotate the armband in the Nations League as he looks for a long-term successor for the retired Jonny Evans, but it says a lot that Hume is the player who is the first to get the nod in the campaign.
Hume, who says he was taken by surprise when he was told about the captaincy following the final training session ahead of the game, admits it has been a “fast process”.
O’Neill, however, says it is a much-deserved reward for the form that has seen him become a fan favourite at both club and country.
“Not many players come out of the Irish League and step into English football and play with that level of consistency,” O’Neill said.
“He may not be the captain at Sunderland but he is a leader. I’ve no hesitation in saying he will do a good job.”