James Milner: 'England have good mix of players'

James Milner has insisted that England have a perfect mix of youth and experience among the squad to enjoy a successful World Cup.

The Three Lions face Italy tomorrow night in their opening Group D game, with Roy Hodgson expected to field a blend of young and old in Manaus.

"The first game is always important; we need a good result there," Milner is quoted as saying by Goal.com. "With the team we've got, a lot of the lads are in good form and they've had really good seasons. Hopefully they can feed off that energy now.

"As a group going forward we've got great experience and a lot of youth. It's a really good mix. With that mix of energy, youth and experience, I'm sure we can do good things."

He added: "We have a tough group but, with the squad we've got, I'm sure we'll do well. Yes, it's tough but teams are at the World Cup because they're the best in the world."

Milner made his England debut in 2009, racking up close to half-a-century of caps.