When Ben Woodburn reignited Wales’ World Cup hopes on Saturday evening, he did so with a debut strike that will have left England lamenting his brilliance as much as Austria.

Woodburn, who scored the only goal in Cardiff, is one of several starlets who could have pledged loyalty to the Three Lions instead of the Welsh dragon. So worried were the English Football Association at the growing number of English-born youngsters with an ambivalent attitude to the flag of St George, it prompted a change in youth policy.

Three years ago England introduced an under-15 side, which will help ensure the next teenage sensation eligible for dual nationality such as Woodburn does not escape their grasp. England still does not host similar get-togethers for younger age groups. Wales are making the most of their head start. They have been inviting under-14s to international camps and regional development squads for the last eight years. This was crucial in eradicating ambiguity where Woodburn was concerned.

Woodburn was born in England, schooled in England and developed at Liverpool's Academy but he has always considered himself Welsh, his sense of national identity passed from his Swansea-born grandfather. Those close to the 17-year-old insist he would never have played for England no matter what age the opportunity came, but there is an acknowledgment within the home Football Associations it is wiser to introduce the next generation to the culture of a squad sooner, cultivating a dedication to their country. England creating the under-15 squad reflected that.