Wayne Rooney rejected the chance to play for Scotland, according to Berti Vogts.
Vogts, who was in charge of Scotland from 2002 to 2004, said he was made aware of a potential family link when Rooney was a highly-rated 16-year-old with Everton.
Rooney's prodigious talent made a switch unlikely, though, and he made his England debut in February 2003, still aged just 17, before lighting up the following year's European Championship.
Rooney made his debut at Upton Park for England
"I spoke to Wayne Rooney - his grandmother, she is Scottish," said Vogts, speaking in Baku ahead of his Azerbaijan side's World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
"The Scottish Football Association found the grandmother and I made the call. I flew from Glasgow to Everton. He was playing under David Moyes at Everton and I spoke to him - a young lad of 16 years of age. I said to him 'you can play for Scotland'."
Explaining Rooney's reaction, the German coach beat his chest theatrically and said: "He told me: 'I am English, I am English!'. Okay, sorry.
Vogts' Scotland stint was an embarrassment
"You have to speak to the player but he told me 'I'm so sorry boss, I'm English'."