England won’t call even if I win Golden Boot – Defoe

Joe Williams

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has claimed he wouldn’t get a call-up for the England squad even if he won this season’s Golden Boot award.

The 34-year-old has already scored eight times this campaign, including four goals in his last five appearances, and remains joint fourth in the race for this year’s accolade.

Defoe is three goals behind joint top scorers, Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa and two goals behind Sergio Aguero, but the Sunderland number 18 wants to focus on giving 100% every week.

The Black Cats were without a Premier League win until November, but Defoe’s crucial strikes in recent weeks have helped the club achieve three wins in their last four games, to move just one point behind 17th placed, West Ham United.

The former Tottenham forward is in some of the best form of his playing career, but still senses that a call-up to the national side is unlikely to happen.

“Whatever I do, I never give up,” Defoe said in an interview with talkSPORT. “People come up to me and say ‘why are you not in the England squad?’ and I never know what to say. “When I was in the England squad, I was in on merit, I was scoring goals and playing well.

“It’s not that I’ve given up, but it gets to a point when I think it almost doesn’t matter what I do. Even if I get the golden boot I don’t think I’d get called up.”

The strikers last cap for England came in a 2-0 defeat to Chile in a friendly back in 2013, whilst his last goals for country came in March 2013 when he scored twice in a win over San Marino.

Defoe admitted that playing well and creating chances would lead to more goals. He said: “I want to be in control of my own destiny when I go out onto the pitch.

“I always give 100% and if I get a chance I believe I’ll score. I don’t like speaking about it really and in a way I want to let my football do the talking.”