Liverpool's Kieran Morrison made his Northern Ireland senior debut against Guinea and spoke to his father afterward about his performance.
Standing on the field beneath the intense La Linea sun and the iconic Rock of Gibraltar, Liverpool youngster Kieran Morrison connected with his father immediately after his first senior appearance for Northern Ireland against Guinea.
'He was telling me what I could have done better and what I done well,' Morrison shared, expressing pride in their ongoing dialogue.
The phone call from his father is a consistent ritual for Morrison, who has been guided by him since childhood.
'He does that every game,' Morrison explained. 'He's my coach and he has been since I was four years old.' The calls, which always happen until he answers, serve as a mix of constructive criticism and encouragement.
'I'm glad I have that type of person in my corner,' he added, appreciating the balanced support his father provides.
Though he did not feature in Bergamo or the subsequent friendly with Wales, his moment arrived in the 1-0 victory over Guinea in Spain.
'At the start of the season I wouldn't have expected to hear that,' he admitted, reflecting on the pride of becoming a Northern Ireland international.
'I'm very proud and my family is very proud too. I'm buzzing.'
Morrison wore the number nine shirt during the Guinea match, a number historically linked to David Healy's scoring achievements at the century's start.
He played the opening 45 minutes of the friendly against the African side.
The Northern Ireland side he was part of had an average age of just 22.1, making it the youngest starting XI since the end of World War Two, and he was one of two debutants on the field.
Arsenal's teenage forward Ceadach O'Neill came off the bench, while Blackburn Rovers defender Tom Atcheson scored the winning goal before being sent off during his first start.
Morrison admitted surprise at being assigned the number nine jersey, a number he had never previously worn.
'I was shocked when I seen number nine,' he said. 'I don't think I've ever worn number nine.' Yet, he embraced the tradition, adding, 'I'm proud with number nine.'
He also praised fellow debutant Ceadach O'Neill, who progressed through the Northern Ireland setup at the JD Academy.
'Me and Ceadach are close,' Morrison noted, humorously teasing his teammate about wearing goalkeeper number 13.
Morrison expressed admiration for O'Neill's achievement in making his international debut.
'I was proud of him to make his debut. He deserves it,' he said.
'It was a really proud moment for him and his family.'
After his debut experience, Morrison is set to face a much tougher test against France in Lille on Monday.
The French side, filled with stars, will be preparing for their World Cup campaign with a strong performance.
For Morrison, the match also offers a chance to reunite with former Liverpool teammate Ibrahima Konate, who appears poised to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
'It will be some game,' he said, expressing hope to catch up with Konate after the match.
'That's the best game you can get.'
Morrison aims to make the most of his minutes and impress fans and selectors alike.
'Hopefully I can get whatever minutes I can on the pitch and try to prove myself,' he stated.
'Hopefully I can tell him to get me a [Ousmane] Dembele or something on the sly.'