Calum Chambers’ fairytale start to the season continued with what Adam Lallana called a “magnificent” full England debut against San Marino.
The past few months have been a whirlwind for the versatile defender, who in the summer made a £16million move from Southampton to Arsenal.
The 19-year-old has since featured heavily in the Champions League, started on numerous occasions in the Barclays Premier League and made his England debut from the bench against Norway last month.
Chambers followed that up on Thursday night with a first start for England as Roy Hodgson’s men easily swept away San Marino 5-0 at Wembley.
“He was magnificent,” England midfielder Lallana said. “It was not an easy game for him.
“He was always going to have lots of the ball and take risks with his passes because that’s what happens against teams that camp behind the ball.
“He showed great composure and is going to go on to have many, many more caps.”
Lallana knows Chambers better than most, having played alongside him at Southampton.
The full-back only made his top-flight debut for Saints at the start of last term, but his rapid progress since then has not surprised his former captain.
“I knew it was a matter of time before he possibly moved on or went to a big, big club,” Lallana said.
“It hasn’t surprised me at all how quickly and how well he’s started.
“I was watching the Champions League qualification games and he took to them like a duck to water.
“He was brilliant, showed great composure and he can play centre-half as well.
“He is a very talented boy and it’s a great thing for England.”
Chambers, Lallana and the rest of the England squad now face a quick turnaround as they travel to Estonia looking for a third straight win in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
They approach Sunday’s match buoyed by a decent performance against San Marino, against whom Lallana looked to have found the net for the first time for the Three Lions.
It was a fluky effort, given Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s shot went in off his heel, and one which was wrongly chalked off for offside.
“I would have taken it,” Lallana said, with a laugh. “I was onside.
“I was bitterly disappointed, but Alex and I had a laugh about it after the game.”