Wednesday 14 November 2018 22:02, UK
Jamie Vardy has hinted a lack of game time for England at the World Cup was a major factor in his decision to retire from international football.
The Leicester striker brought the curtain down on his 26-cap international career in August to make way for younger players to come through into the England setup.
But speaking at the Oxford Union alongside his wife Rebekah, Vardy admitted his frustration at being restricted to just 67 minutes of competitive football at Russia 2018, excluding the dead rubber group G game with Belgium.
"I spoke to my agent, to Bex, straight after the World Cup. I'm not getting any younger, and the main point was I was missing being at home, being with my kids," he said.
"There's a lot of spare time on England duty when you're thinking 'I'd much rather be at home'. I think I could have played more at the World Cup but that decision's not down to me.
"I accepted Gareth's decision and it wasn't to be.
"But the main thing was that I got that opportunity to play in the World Cup, and if you think about where I came from, I never thought I'd get that chance."
Vardy, who joined Leicester from then non-league Fleetwood in 2012, will turn 32 in January but expects to maintain his fitness and style despite getting older.
"Coming into the game later I'm hoping that I can go on a lot longer," he said
"I didn't have that training that someone who went from the academy straight into the first team and plays until 34 would have had.
"Legs wise, I feel fine - there's a good few years in them left. I'm not losing any speed, and all my measurements at Leicester have been exactly the same as they used to be.
"When I go out onto the pitch, I don't feel 31 at all - I feel like I'm in my early 20s."
