Chris Mepham has been named in the final 23-man Wales squad for a game against Mexico next week. The 20-year Brentford central defender was selected as part of a 30-man group last week after taking part in a training camp. He will now head to Los Angeles for the friendly in just over a week.

Chris was included in the first squad named by new Wales boss Ryan Giggs for March’s China Cup and made his debut in the 6-0 win over the hosts. He keeps his place for the game against Mexico at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, on Monday 28 May, kick-off 6pm local time. The squad will meet up in Wrexham today before flying to Los Angeles the following day for a five-day training camp.

In the space of eight short months, Chris has progressed from the B Team to a full international. After making his Sky Bet Championship debut against Derby County in September, Chris went on to play 23 times for Dean Smith’s side this term. The Hammersmith-born defender netted his maiden professional goal in our 1-1 draw with Sheffield United back in March, just days after earning his first cap for Wales.

Wales are the first of three European tests for Juan Carlos Osorio’s Mexico side ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Russia at which El Tricolor have been drawn in Group F alongside holders Germany, South Korea, and Sweden. After Wales, Mexico take on Scotland at the Estadio Azteca before facing Denmark in Brondby on Saturday 9 June, where they are likely to come up against more Brentford representation in the form of Henrik Dalsgaard and Andreas Bjellend.