Blackburn’s Ben Brereton pledges allegiance to Chile as he gets call-up

Blackburn forward Ben Brereton has pledged international allegiance to Chile after being called up for World Cup qualifiers Argentina and Bolivia.

Stoke-born Brereton, who previously represented England at youth level, qualifies for the South American nation as his mother was born there.

The 22-year-old’s maiden call-up follows his best season in a Rovers shirt, having scored seven goals and registered five assists in 40 Sky Bet Championship outings.

Chile, managed by Uruguayan Martin Lasarte, currently sit sixth in South American qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, eight points behind group leaders Brazil.

They travel to Santiago del Estero in Argentina on Thursday, June 3 before hosting Bolivia in Santiago five days later.

Former Nottingham Forest man Brereton, whose news was announced on his current club’s website, may also have one eye on the Copa America, which will be staged in Argentina during June and July.

La Roja – Copa America winners in 2015 and 2016 – face group games against Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay in that tournament.