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James Maddison wasn’t going to give away his England shirt to just anybody after Thursday’s 7-0 thrashing of Montenegro at Wembley.

The Leicester City star made his full debut for the Three Lions and kept a childhood promise to his father Gary, by getting it signed by all the players and presenting it to him after the thumping win.

Despite the best efforts of a member of Montenegro’s support staff, Maddison stuck to that promise in the aftermath of a stylish victory which sealed Euro 2020 qualification for Gareth Southgate’s men.

"You would have had to fight me to get that off me," joked the Foxes star, who will miss Sunday's visit to Kosovo through injury.

(Image: Getty Images)

"I’ll get it signed by all the lads and give it to my dad.

“He said when I was a little kid, if you ever play for England I want your shirt so I have to give it to him."

Having been called up to the senior squad four times, Maddison’s had to be patient for his first senior cap, and was granted it by Southgate in the second half when he replaced Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

"I’ve had to wait a little bit, been on the bench a few times, been in a few squads, and that’s made it all the more sweet, more special,” he said.

"I’ll never forget that feeling when I was waiting to come on.

"That was a special feeling."

(Image: Getty)

Maddison also praised the role England’s Under-21 squad have played in his development, coming on the back of Southgate naming England’s youngster starting XI for 60 years.

"There is a pathway is there,” Maddison said.

"You look at the average age of the squad - I’ve just been told in the dressing room, it was really young.

“So age isn’t really a thing now, you just have to be good enough."