“It is really good news,” Vieira said in his pre-Everton press conference. “We are really pleased, we are really happy for him. He’s been working hard and working well.
“To have the call was the target, that was his ambition. We are really pleased for him. As a football club we are proud, of course.
“We see Marc coming and going game after game, and being stronger – and being captain in the last couple of games, taking responsibility. He is doing really well and that call will help him to grow as a player and believe more in himself.
“We are really happy for what he has been doing for the football club.”
Vieira emphasised however that there was still a long way to go for Guéhi and fellow international Conor Gallagher, despite starting their England careers.
“It is just a step forward for Marc,” Vieira explained. “For the manager or for the football club, of course we are proud to have players called to the international level – but there is a long way to go for Marc to be an international player.
“This is just the first cap. The difficult one is the second one, the third one. To be considered and perform well enough to allow you to go to the international [squad].
“He has the capacity. He has the potential. We are really pleased, we are really happy, but there is still a long way to go to consider Marc – or Conor – as an international player.”
Playing at the highest level will not only be an important milestone, but will be crucial in helping the players to improve according to Vieira – not only Marc, but Wilfried Zaha who he could come up against as Ivory Coast travel to Wembley at the end of March.
“We are really happy and glad to have the players going to international level,” he said. “Those games will improve them. It will be good for them to test themselves at that level to see what they are missing, and which parts of the game they need to improve.
“When you go to that level, you smell it, you taste it and you want to go back. But to go back you have to maintain your level with your club, and that is really good for us.
“There is still a long way to go for Marc and Conor. This is the first call for Marc. It’s about keeping improving themselves, and that will allow them to go back into the national XI.”
