In an exclusive interview with TheFA.com for England TV, Defoe said he'd enjoyed every minute in the England setup:

"You have to pinch yourself," he explained, "to play for England at senior level is a dream come true.

"I’ve always worked hard and continue to work hard.

"As a forward I love scoring goals, but there are going to be times when you have bad patches. 

"If you keep your head up and keep working hard you come through them – that’s all I’ve done really, kept working hard, and now I’m here."

Jermain Defoe was talking to TheFA.com's Dan Freedman. Click on the links below to watch the interview in full.

03 September 2004  
Jermain Defoe Exclusive