Jack Butland wants England World Cup place

Jack Butland has firmly set his sights on a place in the England squad ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil this summer.

The 20-year-old Stoke City goalkeeper, who was an unused member of Roy Hodgson's Euro 2012 party, has been given a rare run in the team after injuries to Asmir Begovic and Thomas Sorensen.

"That's always been my focus," Butland told reporters. "Having tasted the England set-up before, I know what it's like, it's the greatest feeling ever to play for your country.

"I'm focused on getting back into that squad, and if I was to make the World Cup it'd be a target achieved. I need to be playing in the Premier League and with a good quality of performance if I want to go to the World Cup. It's as simple as that.

"There's goalkeepers around me like [Joe] Hart, [Ben] Foster, [John] Ruddy, [Fraser} Forster, they're playing at the top level regularly and if I can match that level of performance and perform even better then I've got a chance, if not it's going to be difficult. But that's certainly my target for this season. I'm confident I can get back there."

Butland joined Stoke a year ago and was immediately loaned back to Birmingham City, while he spent the first half of this season on loan at Barnsley.