ENGLAND'S Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been the butt of the joke since he returned to Staplewood following his debut Three Lions goal.

The 22 year old enjoyed a dream international start when he crashed home a header from Jude Bellingham's cross in a 5-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.

"They set me up and then when I start talking about it, they just hammer me for mentioning it again," pleaded the smirking Harwood-Bellis.

Flynn Downes sat alongside his teammate's family in attendance at Wembley on Sunday and excuses the Under-21 Euros title-winning captain's behaviour.

"He hasn't shut up but I would be the same, I don't think I would come in for a week," quipped Downes, insistent he believed Harwood-Bellis would notch.

"I knew he would score. I was sitting with his missus and I said to her that he's going to score. Then boom, the ball from Jude was lovely."

England interim head coach Lee Carsley knew Harwood-Bellis well from his management of the under-21s but injuries to John Stones and co paved the way.

Harwood-Bellis had travelled to Greece for the crucial Nations League clash in a hostile atmosphere but had to wait until game two for his moment.

"So proud," he said. "It's something that has come a lot sooner than I thought it would. I remember the ball coming in and I thought at the time, 'What a ball'.

"I've got a good relationship with Lee obviously, with the 21s. He's done a great job when he was with the seniors and obviously, all thanks to him.

"The level's high. It's the pinnacle. The best English players in the world are there all in one dressing room so there's a difference.

"But the style and the way you want to play, I feel like my game is adaptable and it was just about having the confidence to show that - and hopefully I did."

Harwood-Bellis talks about confidence. He was referenced by Three Lions captain and all-time top goalscorer Harry Kane in an interview after the match.

Making his England debut, Harwood-Bellis approached Kane and Bellingham as they stood over a free-kick in the 76th minute of the match.

He suggested they - the third and 10th-placed players in this year's Ballon d'Or - ditch their plans and try a rehearsed routine instead. Jarrod Bowen says thanks.

"It wasn't like that," Harwood-Bellis laughed. "We had a free kick and I thought a cutback was something we could do there, something that would be good.

"Jarrod Bowen comes on, obviously he's left-footed, so I just said to Harry Kane, do you think we can work a cutback? And he was like, yeah, let's do it."

Harwood-Bellis admits he has had "loads of messages" from family, friends and former teammates but assured us it has not been a distraction.

"Nothing's going to stop me from sleeping, nothing," Harwood-Bellis insisted, with his teenage years only recently behind him.

And the rest of his career is still ahead of him. This is without doubt the best moment so far but Harwood-Bellis always wants more. 

He said: "It'll always be special and everything like that, but I don't want it to be the best moment of my career. I want to play for England more. 

"I love playing for England but it's not easy. The hardest job now is to try and get another call-up. There were a lot of injuries and it helped with the pathway.

England defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis wants to add to his capEngland defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis wants to add to his cap (Image: Bradley Collyer/PA)

"All the boys are going to be back in March, so I've got to perform now for Saints. Hopefully, with that mentality, it can help us get more points."

Saints spent £20million on Manchester City's Harwood-Bellis in the summer, following their promotion from the Championship, with one aim in mind.

But they sit bottom of the Premier League with only four points from their first 11 matches. A change of fortunes must be around the corner if they are to survive.

Harwood-Bellis will have no trouble switching attention back from national stardom to that entirely different task, fighting relegation with his club. 

"It's easy, my focus is on Liverpool. People ask me about England at home and stuff and it's not something I want to talk about now," he said. 

"We've got a job to do in the league. Me scoring for England has not changed the fact that we're bottom of the league and we've got a big game on Sunday."