England manager Roy Hodgson has admitted that their unsuccessful World Cup campaign has been "unforgiving".

The Three Lions suffered consecutive defeats in their first two games and were officially eliminated when Costa Rica beat Italy 1-0 on Friday.

Hodgson told reporters: "I've learned how painful it is to build hopes and see a lot of preparation come to no avail. It's unforgiving at this level.

"It's been a tough few days and difficult to pick yourselves up, but we'll learn a lot about the players tomorrow.

"When you fail at a World Cup and have to leave the tournament, that final game is the one can lead us to the future."

Hodgson's men meet Costa Rica in their final game on Tuesday.

Written by
Paul Gorst