Jermain Defoe: 'Injury lay-off won't affect World Cup hopes'

Jermain Defoe has rejected suggestions that his latest injury lay-off could affect his chances of making Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has just recovered from a hamstring injury, which ruled him out for a month.

Reports had suggested that this could affect his chances of making Hodgson's final 23-man squad, but the Toronto FC striker has dismissed those claims.

He told reporters: "I missed three games. It happens in football, players get injured.

"But if you miss three games and that changes the fact that you could, I don't know, go to a tournament, that's crazy. I don't feel like I need to sell myself to anyone because I'll just let my football do the talking. I've done that since I made my professional debut at 17... I'm sure the manager knows what I can do."

Defoe has won 55 caps for England.