Dundee’s Dylan Carreiro has revealed it was a dream come true when he was called up to the Canadian senior squad recently.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a training camp in Mexico before travelling to New York for a game against a star-studded Colombian side in front of a 23,000 crowd.
While Carreiro did not win his first full cap and Canada lost to a stunning long-range strike by Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez, the youngster insists it was still an unforgettable experience.
He said: “Like a lot of Canadians, when you are a young boy, you want to represent your country.
“So although I didn’t get a cap, the call-up was a great experience against a top team like Colombia.
“We had a training camp in Mexico for a week and then we flew to New York for a few days before playing Colombia there.
“The game was a sell-out and more than three-quarters of the stadium was a sea of yellow Colombian shirts.
“We lost to a 1-0 Rodriguez screamer.
“I now have a busy year coming up as I have Under-20 World Cup qualifiers in January and then in June, there is the Gold Cup.”
Carreiro has spent the last three months out on loan at Arbroath and played his last game for Allan Moore’s side on Saturday as the League Two leaders beat East Stirling 3-2.
The former QPR youth player admits he really enjoyed his time at Gayfield apart from the wind howling off the North Sea.
He smiled and said: “I have never experienced anything like it.
“To be fair, last week was the first time it was really bad but once we got playing with the ball on the ground, we did well.
“I haven’t lived in Canada for four years so this recent cold spell in Scotland has got to me.
“It is in the minuses back home just now with quite a lot of snow. There is a couple of feet.
“Scotland hasn’t been too much of a culture shock as I was in London for the last two years and it is not that different.
“It is a bit quieter here but I don’t mind that.
“I just want to play my football and I am enjoying my time in Dundee.”
While things ultimately did not work out for Carreiro at Loftus Road, he admits he learned a lot while at the London club.
He said: “It was a great experience being around a big team with a lot of money and good players.
“The facilities and training were superb. It helped me develop into the player I am now.
“I was with the 18s and then the 21s. I trained with the first-team a couple of times but that was about it.
“I was grateful to have two years there. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out but I am here now.”