CHERRIES star Matt Ritchie admitted he had been "absolutely delighted" at his Scotland call-up – and also revealed he had never set foot in the country!

Ritchie was today named in a 26-man squad for a friendly against Northern Ireland and a Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar, with both matches taking place later this month.

The 25-year-old, whose father and grandparents are Scottish, will be hoping to feature in the Hampden Park double-header when he heads north of the border for the first time.

Gosport-born Ritchie earned his first call-up after impressing boss Gordon Strachan having scored 11 goals in 37 games for Eddie Howe’s Championship leaders this season.

Asked by the Daily Echo whether he had ever been to Scotland, Ritchie said: “My dad was born in Edinburgh and so were my grandparents. My granddad was in the Royal Navy and they moved to England after he had been posted to Portsmouth, which is where I grew up.

“I’ve still got relatives in Scotland but my aunties and uncles always seem to come down here to see my nan and granddad so I haven’t actually been to Scotland. I’ve got family there and I’m sure they will come to the games if I’m involved.”

Ritchie, who recently penned a new three-and-a-half year contract, has been a key figure in Cherries’ rapid rise under Eddie Howe since signing in a £500,000 move from Swindon in January 2013.

He added: “I had a call a couple weeks ago from the (Scotland) manager. He said he had been watching a lot of our games and liked what he had seen.

"He said he felt I would fit into the squad so, hopefully, I can impress and can fit in. I’m absolutely delighted to be involved and it is a proud moment for me and my family.

“It was an easy decision. To be involved with a country’s international team is a great achievement and a dream come true. To be in and around the squad with quality players will be a great experience.

“When I was playing in League One and League Two, I didn’t think this chance would ever come so for it to have come so quickly is great. I’ve got a lot of people to thank and people have put a lot of hard work into my career. Hopefully, I can go and impress.

“I’ve always strived to get better and been fortunate to have had good managers and coaches. The manager here has had a huge influence and my game has come on leaps and bounds since I signed.

"Everyone knows we work hard on the training pitch and, by doing that, you get good results. That’s why we’ve achieved what we have so far this season and, hopefully, we can continue it and finish the job.”