Matt Ritchie says his family were “over the moon” when he told them he’d been called into the Scotland squad for the games against Northern Ireland and Gibraltar.
The Bournemouth midfielder – who was born in Gosport – qualifies for the national team through his Edinburgh-born father, Alex.
Ritchie described the call-up to Gordon Strachan’s national team as an honour.
He said: “I’m delighted. It’s a proud moment for both me and my family. I can’t wait to join up with the squad next week.
“My dad is over the moon. Hopefully he’ll be able to come to the games and watch me if I’m involved.”
The 25-year-old has been a stand-out for Bournemouth this season scoring 11 goals from 35 games, form which has helped to earn him his first international call-up.
Ritchie added: “The manager gave me a call and mentioned that I was in his thoughts. He just told me to concentrate on my form and thankfully I’ve been able to do that.”
“Scotland have some top players and hopefully I can fit in nicely. It’s a tough group but we’re playing well and I hope to play a part in getting us through to the Euros.”
Previous to joining Bournemouth, Ritchie spent time at Portsmouth, Dagenham & Redbridge, Notts County and Swindon Town – where he played alongside current Scotland squad member Gordon Greer.