Three years ago, Trai Hume was lining out for Linfield in the Irish Premiership. On Thursday, he will captain Northern Ireland for the first time.
It has been a remarkable rise for the 22-year-old, who has not only settled at Sunderland since joining in January 2022, but thrived at a side who sit unbeaten at the top of the Championship.
The defender says it will be an "honour" to captain Northern Ireland in Thursday's Nations League opener with Luxembourg.
He made his international debut two months after his move, and just 13 caps down the line he will lead out Northern Ireland at Windsor Park - the same stadium where he used to impress for Linfield.