ENGLAND international Adam Lione has been selected to take part in the Partially Sighted European Championships.

Lione, who grew up in Wickford but now lives in Southminster, will travel with the squad to La Spezia, in Italy, later this month to take on five of the best teams in the world in the competition.

And the 20-year-old, who has played for Hullbridge Sports’ first team in the past, is a key member of the squad.

This year’s top scorer for his country, with six goals in nine appearances, Lione has come through the youth ranks and will play in his second major tournament, having previously travelled to Japan for the World Visually Impaired Football Championships.

And he says he cannot wait to represent his country.

“It will be really exciting,” he said. “I love playing for England and it has been a really profitable year for me.”

Lione’s sight was affected when he was a child, when he contracted Retinoblastoma. He had his left eye removed, while he also has limited sight in his right eye.

But that has not stopped him from thriving on the pitch.

First spotted at Rochford Disability Football Academy, Lione is currently studying a visually impaired football scholarship at the University of Worcester, and he says he loves playing the game.

“My field vision is poor but I can still see further than some of the other players on the team,” he said. “Luckily I know where the goal is and I have become an important player this year.”

Lione flies out on Wednesday, December 10, with Spain, Turkey, Austria, Russia and Ukraine the other teams competing.

In their final warm-up match, Lione and his England team-mates beat Preston North End futsal team, who are fully sighted, 7-0.