Schalke's Germany star Lewis Holtby admits he's a huge England fan!

The youngster says he could be playing for the Three Lions - if the FA had bothered to get in contact.

Holtby told the Sunday Mirror: "I was brought up in ­Germany, but I always ­supported ­England because of my dad.

"Euro 96 was the first tournament I remember and I still have tears in my eyes at the thought of England losing the ­penalty shoot-out to ­Germany. It was in 2006, at the age of 16, that I first pulled on a Germany shirt, for the World Cup. The ­tournament was in Germany and the atmosphere was ­brilliant.

"I played my first game for Germany with the Under-18s in 2007 and at first it did feel a bit strange. My dad started calling me 'Fritz'! He still calls me 'Fritz' now, but it's only a joke and even he has worn a Germany shirt to one of my games."

Former England boss Fabio Capello was interested to find out whether he could pick Holtby, but the chance came and went.

"Nobody from the English FA got in contact and it was probably too late ­anyway," said Holtby.

"Once I played for Germany Under-18s, that was probably it - I would have felt a traitor changing shirts."