JOSE IZQUIERDO wants to fly the flag for Colombia in English football after a call-up that has put the Albion winger on course for the World Cup.

Izquierdo has been named by Jose Pekerman in the squad for warm-up friendlies in France tomorrow night and against Albion keeper Mathew Ryan’s Australia at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

Izquierdo’s big chance follows some high-profile performances for the Seagulls in the Premier League which have gone down well at home and given him the incentive to be a role model for fellow countrymen with aspirations of moving to England.

Izquierdo told The Argus: “There is a lot of reaction. This is the Premier League and when you are doing well the people in Colombia are happy, because they know how hard it is.

“In the end I am from Colombia. I am proud when they say Colombian player Jose Izquierdo. This gives me more motivation.

“Their reaction makes me proud and also when you are doing good things it helps others who have the same dream as you had.

“I am leaving the door open to other players from Colombia who have that dream to come here and prove that the players from Colombia are good.

“You see in this moment Davinson Sanchez (Spurs). There are players before like Asprilla (Newcastle), Hamilton Ricard (Middlesbrough) that scored a lot of goals, Rodallega (Wigan), so there are players that did well in the Premier League.

“When you are doing well you open the door to players from your country who have the same dream.

Izquierdo is third in Albion’s scoring chart with four goals in 16 starts and nine substitute appearances in the Premier League since a £13.5 million move from Belgian club Brugge in August.

If he continues his club form for his country then he will join team-mate Ryan in the World Cup finals in Russia in the summer, where Colombia face Japan, Poland and Senegal in the group stages.