Why Rocco Vata opted for Ireland ahead of Scotland and Albania, in his own words
The Watford midfielder made his senior debut for the Boys in Green in the March Nations League play-off away to Bulgaria, when he came off the bench in the 79th minute for Jason Knight.
Vata was born in Glasgow, where his dad Rudi played for Celtic, so he could have opted for Scotland.
And through his dad, capped 59 times for Albania, he could also have decided to line out for the nation currently 66th in the FIFA world rankings, just six places below Ireland.
However Vata, qualifying for the Boys in Green through his grandmother on his mum's side, made his international breakthrough with Ireland at Under-15s level in 2019.
He has since pulled on the green jersey at Under-17s, 18s, 19s and 21 levels, and he is still eligible for Jim Crawford's side as he only turned 20 in April.
Vata was left out of the squad for the June friendly draws with Senegal and Luxembourg, with manager Heimir Hallgrímsson deciding to give his Championship players a rest, as their season ended a month before the summer camp.
And Vata was carrying a slight knock from his first full season of first-team club football, having made 37 appearances for the Hornets.
Asked why he opted to represent Ireland, the former Celtic prospect opened up on the reasons for his decision.
He told the Watford website: 'It was the country that showed interest first and somewhere I've had great memories.
'It has been a great experience so far, and I have made some good friends on the way.'
Among his most treasured memories to date are his times with the underage teams, including a hat-trick against San Marino last year in just his second appearances with the Under-21s.
'It's special,' he said. 'Even at Academy level we have filled out the stadium at Turners Cross in Cork, so it shows how passionate the Irish people are about winning, even at Under-21 level.'
As for his three-goal display in a 7-0 win against San Marino in March of last year, he added: 'I actually left the hat-trick ball with the kit man because I couldn't get a football on the flight back from Italy. I haven't actually got it back yet – I'm sure he still has it.'
Vata also spoke about the extra work he puts in on the training pitch at Watford.
'Extra practice is something I take real pride in,' he said. 'It is what gives me confidence in games, knowing in the back of my mind that I don't have doubts because of all the practice I have put in.
'Sometimes I'm alone, but other times the likes of Mamadou (Doumbia) stay out as well. It is probably because we are both younger, so we have to work harder on being clinical.'
During his time at Celtic, Vata managed just six first-team appearances. As for his first season at Watford, 15 of his 33 Championship outings were as a starter.
'Obviously it was a bit frustrating, but I realised at my age I have to show that bit extra to mark my spot in the team,' he said.
While he did not become a regular with the Scottish champions, Vata spoke of his pride at representing his dad's club.
'It was a dream come true,' he said. 'Playing for the same team as my dad was something I dreamed about as a kid, so it was special to be able to continue the legacy of the Vata name at Celtic Park, especially being a part of a team that won trophies for two straight seasons.'
'Since I was a kid, I never had anything else (apart from being a professional footballer) on my mind. I constantly had a ball at my feet, so it is what I was born to do.'
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