HEREFORD teenager Jordan James has travelled to the World Cup starting this weekend as part of the Wales squad.

The 18-year-old who plays his club football for Birmingham City is not included in their 26-man squad but has travelled to Qatar with the squad as a backup.

James was only called up to the Wales squad for the first time in September but will now get to experience football’s biggest tournament first hand.

"It's important we've got one eye on the future," said Wales manager Rob Page who is already looking ahead to the Euro 2024 qualifiers. "March comes around quickly and we've got to have one eye on that.

"In the future, when the senior boys decide they're not going to play for Wales any more, it won't be too much of a culture shock and the change won't be so severe."

Leominster’s Jarrod Bowen hasn’t been selected in England’s squad after not making Gareth Southgate’s squad for the tournament.

At the age of 17, Bowen broke into the Hereford United first team after impressing for the youth team that season, making his debut in a 2–0 loss against Barnet in March 2014.

After Hereford were expelled from the Football Conference in June 2014, Bowen signed for Premier League club Hull City in July before he joined West Ham United on a permanent transfer.

He made four appearances for England during last year’s Nations League matches. However, after struggling to replicate his domestic form for West Ham so far this season the 25-year-old has missed out on selection.