Darren Bent has revealed he almost quit international football following his World Cup snub.
The Sunderland striker, who netted 26 times in the Premier League last season, was named in England’s preliminary squad and played in the first warm-up match against Japan in Austria.
But Bent failed to make Fabio Capello’s cut and claims his selection in the 30-man party was merely a “token gesture”.
He told The Journal: “It was as though he (Capello) decided he had to take me because of the goals I’d scored.
“He took me to the training camp, gave me 45 minutes and because I didn’t score two goal, that was it. It hurt. I can’t deny that.
“I had long conversations with my dad and my manager. I just felt I was only there to make up the numbers.
“I thought ‘should I just call it a day with England?’ I contemplated it. But you can’t burn bridges like that.”