Scotland v England - Middlesbrough's Ben Gibson out to prove that he has future at very top

Middlesbrough’s Premier League return did not go to plan last term, but their captain shone brightly as they meekly slipped back into the second tier.

Gibson flourished in Boro’s backline, leading both to admiring glances from other top-flight clubs and a maiden senior England call-up.

The 24-year-old was drafted in midway through March’s meet-up and is now hoping to make his debut, having been called up for tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier in Scotland and friendly in France.

“Any opportunity to represent your country for anyone will be an amazing achievement,” Gibson said.

“For me, that’s no different. The first call-up from the start is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

“I want to sort of make a mark on the camp. I want the lads to think of me as a good person, I want to show Gareth I’m comfortable and that I can play at this level.

“If given the opportunity at any point to showcase what I can do on the pitch, then that will also be fantastic.”

Gibson knows Southgate well having played for him at Under-21 level and admired him for years growing up as a Boro fan.

“He was my role model, really,” added Gibson. “Someone I looked up to as a player, then obviously as a manager for Middlesbrough.

“He was the captain who delivered our first piece of silverware after 128 years, so I loved him as a player and as a fan I wanted to be him.

“They actually say don’t ever meet your heroes, but when I met him and he was the manager of the Under-21s he was brilliant with me.

“We should have done better for him in the European Championships (two years ago) when given the opportunity, but I loved playing under him.

“I thought he was a very good manager and more importantly a great person.

“He has been given the opportunity now – rightly in my opinion – and I believe he’ll do very well, so just grateful that he has called me up and now I want to repay his faith.”

Gibson spoke eloquently about Southgate but clammed up on matters related to Middlesbrough given his focus on England.

“Look, for now, all I’m thinking about is this England camp,” the nephew of Boro chairman Steve Gibson said.

“I’ve got an opportunity to show myself against and with the best players from our country.

“So I can’t think past that or about anything other than that. That would be disrespectful to the badge, to these players and to the opportunity that Gareth has given me.”

Harry Kane, meanwhile, said he is determined to kick on and become a world-class player, with the England striker dreaming of one day being crowned the best on the planet.

The 23-year-old’s rise is among several fairytale stories that have lit up English football of late, going from a peripheral role at Tottenham to a fans’ favourite and one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards

An explosive end to the campaign saw Kane collect the Golden Boot for the second successive season, but the striker is not resting on his laurels after finishing with 29 Premier League goals.

The England international knows he has to do more on the international stage and that his goal-laden CV is not enough to be considered world class.

“That’s what I want to be,” he said. “I want to be classed in that (world-class) bracket, but I know I’m not there yet.

“Part of it is proving it on the international stage. I think at club level I’ve had a good few seasons, but now it’s about taking that next step, international football in the big games, in the big moments.

“I’m working harder than ever to try and achieve that.

“I’m 23 now. Hopefully I’ve got a quite few more years left and I can learn and get better and really push forward.”

Asked if he thought he was in the cusp of realising those ambitions, Kane said: “I think so. My goals for my club prove that.

“I’m always looking to improve. I’m never someone that will rest on what I’ve achieved. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and keep working hard. I’m at a great club. We’ve got a great team here with England that I’m really excited about playing for.”

Cristiano Ronaldo displays those characteristics in spades, with FIFA’s Best player and Ballon d’Or winner hitting a brace in a man-of-the-match display for Real Madrid in last weekend’s Champions League final triumph.

“You see him do that game in, game out, in the finals, in the semi-finals,” said Kane.

“That’s what I aspire to be. Ronaldo’s a great role model, a fantastic player. That’s hopefully something I can achieve one day.”

Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi have enjoyed a duopoly over major individual honours in recent years, but there is a new generation hoping to topple them.

“Who wouldn’t want to win that big gold trophy? It’s definitely something I aspire to do,” Kane said.

“Doing that, you have to win the big tournaments, for club and country.”