FOUR years ago Nick Pope watched the World Cup in his local having spent the previous season on his fourth and fifth loan spells away from Charlton.

Back then making the next tournament looked a long way off for the then 22-year-old, who had spent the season in the Conference and then League Two for the first time. It still looked a long way off at the start of this season, but on Wednesday Pope will be nervously checking his phone hoping he has done enough to make Gareth Southgate's 23-man squad for Russia.

A call-up would cap a remarkable season for the former Ipswich Town youngster, who began it as Burnley's second choice goalkeeper without a Premier League appearance to his name, but is ending it as the Clarets' player of the year, the undisputed first choice at Turf Moor and a serious World Cup contender.

The 26-year-old is competing with Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland and Joe Hart for the three goalkeeping spots on the plane to Russia, but admits it's a dream to even be in contention for the squad.

"At the start of the season you're looking at being a number two goalkeeper and possibly getting a handful of games over a season," he said. "It's something I couldn't even dream about then.

"But as I sit here I've maybe got half a chance of getting on the plane and going to Russia, which would be a massive achievement in itself, let alone playing. Fingers crossed."

Pope's hopes of making the World Cup were given a boost in March when he was called-up for the Three Lions squad for friendlies with Holland and Italy.

Although Pope didn't win a first cap during that international break he still had the chance to impress Southgate as one of four goalkeepers in the squad.

And that taste of international action has given him hope he could make the plane for Russia.

“It's something I think about since I made the last squad," he said. "If I hadn't have made the squad in March I would be sitting here thinking I've got a very small chance so to make that squad gave me a little bit of hope.

“It was a really open environment to be in, you could talk to anyone including the manager.

“I was lucky enough to speak to him for a good time, explain to him how much I enjoyed the camp, how I liked the environment and say thanks for calling me up.

“He's easy person to get on with but back then there was still 8-10 games to go in the Premier League so nothing was ever going to be signed, sealed and delivered then. He just said to me 'keep going, keep working on your game and we'll see where we are at the end of the season'."

A World Cup call-up for Pope would cap an incredible journey, from watching the tournament in Brazil in the Maids Head, near his hometown of Soham, to Russia, but he insists life hasn't changed too much despite his rise to stardom.

"Not too much. It [being recognised] is part and parcel of football now with it being the global brand that it is. Maybe it's something that I'll have to get used to," he said.