Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos, Ben Elliott earn senior international call-ups

National team games are back at the end of this month, in the first official international break since the World Cup, and two Chelsea youngsters have earned their maiden senior calls.

Andrey Santos, 18, having captained Brazil to the U20 CONMEBOL Championship last month, got the call from new manager Ramon Menezes, who named no fewer than nine players with zero senior caps, including five from the aforementioned U20 squad, for their friendly against Morocco. Menezes’ clearly wanting to look at some fresh faces as they begin the post-World Cup cycle, so Thiago Silva may have missed out even if it weren’t for his recent injury.

And congratulations are also in order for Chelsea youngster Ben Elliott, 20, who got a call-up from the Cameroon national team. Elliott was born in London and had played for England at the U16 level, but was reportedly convinced to switch by a pair of Cameroonian football legends, national team head coach Rigobert Song and Football Federation president (and former Chelsea striker) Samuel Eto’o.

And of course Enzo Fernández, a veritable veteran at 22, got the call from World Cup champions Argentina.

Congrats to all three!