Sheffield Wednesday youngster Pierce Charles made his full international debut over the weekend, keeping a clean sheet as Northern Ireland drew 0-0 with Belarus in Hungary.

The Owls starlet has been the subject of plaudits from both club and country in recent months, starring in Wednesday’s ongoing Carabao Cup campaign while climbing the ranks with his nation, for whom he qualifies thanks to the birthplace of his mother.

Charles was called into the squad having previously been a standout player in Northern Ireland’s youth teams and after Bailey Peacock-Farrell - one of Charles’ Owls predecessors between the sticks after a one-season loan stint in the 2021/22 campaign - was ruled out through injury. Plymouth Argyle stopper Conor Hazard was also left out.

That left Charles battling Bolton Wanderers man Luke Southwood for a cap. The 19-year-old wasn’t told until Friday afternoon that he would make his bow, though Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill said he had made up his mind much sooner - and that he may well have been given the nod regardless of Peacock-Farrell’s pull-out. O’Neill has expressed the importance of the Owls youngster being afforded match experience as he continues his rapid rise.

“I’ll be honest that it was in my head regardless of Bailey’s situation because I felt the game would give us an opportunity to see Pierce play,” O’Neill said. “He played very well in the under-21s, he’s played very well in the under-19s, we’ve had him in and he gave a very assured performance.

“His distribution is well noted and well talked about but as a goalkeeper you have to have more than that and he knows that. But I thought his choice of passes gave a real assurance to the back three.”