Hargreaves' England dream

Hargreaves (l) battles with Real's Fernando Morientes

BBC Sport Online profiles Owen Hargreaves, the young Bayern Munich midfielder who has won an England call-up.

Owen Hargreaves was a virtual unknown a year ago - now he has become Sven Goran Eriksson's most wanted man.

Bayern Munich midfielder Hargreaves has established himself as one of Europe's premier young midfield operators after helping the German giants win the Champions League last season.

Hargreaves was a dominant figure against Real Madrid in the semi-final, and was then lauded for a brilliant performance against Valencia in the final.

No less an authority than the legendary "Kaiser" Franz Beckenbauer was moved to pay tribute to Hargreaves' performance on the biggest club stage of all.

And his ultimate reward has come with a call-up to the full England squad for the friendly against Holland at White Hart Lane.

Hargreaves is a virtual certainty to win his first cap, confirming he is England's sole football property.

Real Madrid's Steve McManaman was the England international expected to feature in last season's Champions League showpiece - but found himself upstaged by Hargreaves in the semi.

Hargreaves took a starring role as his Bayern Munich side knocked McManaman's European Cup holders out.

He is not intimidated by anyone he plays against

  Welsh U-21 coach Jimmy Shoulder

Although he owed his place in the starting line-up to Steffen Effenberg's suspension, his impressive performance against Luis Figo and Raul guaranteed him a place in coach Ottmar Hitzfeld's team for the final.

Most British fans first noticed Hargreaves when he played for Bayern in their 3-1 defeat of Manchester United in the final of the Centenary Tournament in August last year.

But football insiders had been aware of the talented youngster for some time.

Hargreaves owes his current role with Bayern to the long reach of the club's scouting network.

He was spotted by a Bayern scout while playing for FC Foothill Calgary as they won the Canadian Under-15 championship.

Hargreaves has made 12 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern

He was invited to go to Germany soon afterwards, and signed professional forms on 1 July 1997.

Born in Canada in January 1981, he has a Welsh mother and English-born father.

As a result, he could have played international football for any of those countries.

He was first included in a couple of Welsh U-21 squads after being spotted by coach Jimmy Shoulder.

But when the England hierarchy realised they were in danger of letting a precocious talent slip through their fingers, much as Mark Lawrenson had 20 years before, they moved in.

England U-21 coach Howard Wilkinson picked Hargreaves in his sides against Spain in February and Finland in March.

Exciting talent

Wilkinson harbours few doubts about the quality of his new midfielder.

Hargreaves in action for England U-21s

"He is an exciting talent and hopefully he will go on to bigger and better things with us," he said.

Hargreaves had pledged his future to England in November 2000 after making an abortive debut against Italy's U-21s in a match cut short because of fog.

Hargreaves plumped for the land of his father's birth - despite a personal approach from Welsh manager Mark Hughes.

He had originally been named in Shoulder's Welsh U-21 squad to play Belarus in September 2000, but withdrew so he could take part in England's training sessions in the build-up to their game against Georgia.

He confirmed his decision soon after the Italy match.

"My future is with England," he said.

Hargreaves has pledged his future to England

"I have given up my aspirations to play for Wales."

Shoulder, the man who offered him his first international opportunities, knows only too well what he has missed.

"Owen is a very good player," he says.

"It speaks volumes for his strength of character that he was prepared to uproot from Canada and go to Germany on his own to make a career with one of the world's biggest clubs.

"He is an intelligent person with an engaging personality.

"He is not intimidated by anyone he plays against, is dynamic and technically gifted."

Hargreaves' mother Margaret admits her son's footballing odyssey has not made things easy for the family.

"When Owen first went to Munich it was difficult for both myself and his dad, and also for him," she says.

We only ever see him play on video

  Margaret Hargreaves

"He was leaving his family and friends at just 16 and going to a different culture and language.

"But with phone, fax and now his computer, we have been able to keep in touch.

"He's had great support from Bayern, which has made the transition easier and given us peace of mind.

"Obviously we are very proud of him and what he has been able to achieve.

"He works hard and is dedicated to his career.

"He comes home about twice a year for three weeks at a time, and we only ever see him play on video but hopefully, in the future, we'll be able to go to Germany to see him play."