Eliezer Mayenda made his debut for Spain U21s on Friday

Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda has opened up on the “amazing feeling” of making his debut for Spain U21s last week, but has insisted that he is eager to continue his development for both club and country.

The teenager has been in fine form this season, and has established himself as a key member of Regis Le Bris’ first team squad at the Stadium of Light in recent months. To that end, his impressive personal development was rewarded with a first ever call-up to his nation’s U21s set-up.

Off the back of that nod, Mayenda was handed a first appearance in Friday night’s 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic, coming off the bench as a 75th minute substitute. And in an interview with Sunderland’s in-house media team, the 19-year-old has reflected on the experience of representing his country at such a high level.

What did Eliezer Mayenda say about his Spain U21s debut?

Speaking to Sunderland’s official website, the young forward said: “It was an amazing feeling. It’s my first call-up, so I’m very happy and very proud to have now made my debut for the U21s. I’ve been working hard every day, and this is a great reward for that effort. It’s also great news for me and my development.

“I think I’ve been doing well so far this season, and these things can happen when you keep working hard. I’m just really happy. The season is going much better than last year, and I’m proud of how things are going. “I was with the U17s two or three years ago, but this is my first time with the U21s. It’s a big step in my career, but it is an exciting challenge as I get to learn and compete against some of Spain's best players. I want to become a better player. I’ll try to learn as much as possible every day while I’m there - both in training and in matches. My goal is to keep improving with every opportunity I get.”

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What else has Eliezer Mayenda had to say this international break?

Elsewhere, Mayenda has also been speaking about his relationship with Sunderland teammate Jobe Bellingham. In an interview with continental outlet El Desmarque, he said: "Jobe is a great player. We don't talk much about Jude, but I have a very good relationship with Jobe . He's very talented, a hard worker, and if he continues like this, he'll be able to play anywhere.”

Mayenda also took some time to reflect on the challenges that he has experienced since moving to England, adding: “It's a different kind of football, very physical and competitive. Any team there can beat anyone. I've been lucky to have started getting opportunities with Sunderland, and the adaptation is going very well. After all, the more games you play, the better you adapt, but it's true that it's hard at first.”

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