Danté Leverock, the Narva Trans defender, expressed his delight after being nominated for the Estonian Premier Division’s Best Defender of the Year award.

The 26-year-old is among 12 players in contention for the award, with the winner to be announced next month.

“It’s definitely a good feeling being nominated in my first season in Europe,” Leverock told The Royal Gazette.

“Individually, it’s been a great season for me. I’ve been able to keep fit and play basically every game, score some vital goals and keep a good ratio of clean sheets, so that’s pleasing.

“As a team, we reached our minimum target, so that’s also pleasing.

“I would have liked to be a bit closer to the top three, but we have a very young team, so it’s a learning curve for them. I’ve had to quickly become a leader in the team and have enjoyed the responsibility and pressure.”

Leverock has scored eight goals in 32 appearances during his debut season and has also been named in the Estonian Premier Division Team of the Month on two occasions.

He joined Narva Trans, one of only two sides never to have been relegated from the Baltic country’s top flight, in January on a one-year deal and hit the ground running with a goal on his debut in his team’s 5-0 victory away to Kuressaare.

Leverock realised a childhood dream after being appointed as captain for Bermuda’s Concacaf Nations League qualifier at home to Sint Maarten last month.

Bermuda won 12-0, their second-biggest victory in an international, with Leverock netting the home side’s tenth goal in the 73rd minute.

“Captaining Bermuda is a privilege and something I have always wanted to do since I was a kid, so it was a dream come true,” he said. “The gaffer [Kyle Lightbourne] trusted me and I’m glad to get a first win my first time as captain.”