Roy Hodgson: 'England can qualify from World Cup group'

England manager Roy Hodgson has insisted that his side can progress beyond the group stage of the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

The Three Lions have been drawn alongside Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica in Group D.

"There's no doubt that we've basically got two top seeds in our group," The Mirror quotes him as saying. "But I'd still put my tenner on us. Why not?

"It's a tough group of course but we are not the only team that's in a tough group and it's the presence of teams like us that make it a tough group. I don't think any of them will be rubbing their hands with joy because they are playing us.

"Of course, I can't deny that it's not the group we would have plucked out for ourselves. But I'll let the other managers nominate it the Group of Death. I'll just call it Group D."

England will begin their World Cup campaign against Italy in Manaus on June 15.