Some things are just meant to be...

After Jarrad Branthwaite was called up by England for the first time, we've taken a trip through the archives to chart the life and career of the Cumbrian football star.

From the Wigton toddler who wore an England kit to an aspiring and history-making defender with Carlisle United, to the Premier League with Everton and now the international stage...

Click on the image at the top of this article to scroll through a gallery as we chart Branthwaite's rise and rise...