Ruben Loftus-Cheek says it “would mean the world” to make England’s World Cup squad after battling back from a year-long Achilles tendon rupture suffered in 2019.
The 26-year-old has been resurgent this season, leading to calls for Gareth Southgate to recall him to his squad ahead of next month’s major tournament in Qatar.
With Graham Potter likely to start Loftus-Cheek again away in the Champions League against RB Salzburg on Tuesday, the midfielder discussed his international hopes and desire to earn his place on the plane.
“It would be amazing,” Loftus-Cheek said at the Red Bull Arena. “It would mean a lot.
“As a player going into the 2018 World Cup, you see your trajectory to go upwards and to be at the next World Cup - if everything goes well.
“A lot has happened in that time and I am just happy and grateful that I am fit and healthy and playing football now consistently. If I go to the World Cup off the back of what I am doing now, it would mean the world but that is not at the forefront of my mind now.
“We’ve got some big games coming up at the club and they need my full focus. It would be selfish for me to think about my personal aspirations rather than the club at the moment.”
Loftus-Cheek has taken years to fully overcome his injuries after the prolonged spell out, following his best season under former head coach Maurizio Sarri four years ago.
After indifferent loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, along with time as a back-up midfielder in west London, he looks ready to start matches at the highest level again.
“I’m feeling as strong and as quick and as fit as I’ve been for a long time,” Loftus-Cheek said.
“I feel like I’m at a moment in my career at Chelsea where I’m impacting games and I feel like a big part of the squad, helping the team. That’s not always been the case for me at Chelsea, for various reasons, but now I’m in the position it feels great.
“That’s what I’ve wanted to feel since I was 17 or 18 and now I just want to kick on and keep hold of that feeling.”
Potter explained how impressed he has been with Loftus-Cheek and gave his view on his midfielder’s England chances: “He’s put himself into a situation where he’d be one of the players Gareth would be looking at, an outsider for the squad that’s for sure, but that’s Gareth’s decision.
“Ruben has really impressed me on and off the pitch. He’s a very helpful guy. He wants to learn and wants to improve. He’s clearly benefited from game time, but at the same time, the way he trains is really good when he hasn’t played.
“It’s allowed him to build his fitness up. He clearly needs good fitness levels to carry that big body of his around the pitch. His quality is there, he’s fantastic on the ball, great physicality, great athlete.”
