Dele Alli has said England will not settle for anything less than winning the World Cup in Russia.
Alli was included in the starting line-up for England’s 2-1 friendly victory over Nigeria last week and will be expecting to feature against Costa Rica at Elland Road on Thursday.
The Tottenham midfielder played little part in the previous round of friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy, with manager Gareth Southgate suggesting he may not be in the team at the World Cup.
But a strong end to the season with Spurs coupled with a promising outing against Nigeria has strengthened Alli’s hold on the central attacking midfield spot.
Now, the 22-year-old says the Three Lions are targeting glory in Russia.
“We’re going there to win it. We don’t expect anything less and we’ll be disappointed if we finish second,” said Alli, according to Sky Sports.
“I feel like we have to have that mentality. We don’t want to go there and just be a part of it. We know how good we are as a squad, we know the talent.
“If we get the best out of each other then anything is possible.”
England haven’t won a major tournament since they hosted the World Cup in 1966, while Alli is yet to win a trophy with Tottenham.
It seems unlikely at this stage, but winning the World Cup with England could provide a huge boost to Spurs’ chances of glory next season considering five of the club’s players are set to play a part in Russia.
