Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has earned rich plaudits for his outstanding performances this season. And has been impressive in the training for England national team, as the Three Lions prepare for World Cup journey in Brazil.

Adam Lallana, the £30m Liverpool target, who has told Southampton that he wants to leave the club after the World Cup, has praised young Sterling, where he hailed him as a “great athlete”.

In an interview with The Times, Lallana expressed his delight about how his dreams of playing for England in the World Cup has come true. The midfielder, who was plying trade in League One only few seasons back, has come a long way to reach this position, which he feels is a massive achievement.

“We’re just enjoying it, well, I certainly am and I know Rickie is as well. I’m just going to keep enjoying it. Three years ago, I was playing in League One, so just to be here at a World Cup is a massive achievement,” he said. 

“I’d never have imagined I’d be out here in Brazil at the World Cup,” he said. “It wasn’t even a target then. Everyone dreams of playing for their country at a World Cup, but I wasn’t thinking about it then, not at all.

“It was only realistically when I got my call-ups at the back end of last year for the Chile and Germany games. Now, I just keep wanting to impress at every opportunity, even in the training this week, do all I can to try my best to get into the first XI.”

Lallana has been used against Peru and Honduras, that shows he is certainly in Roy Hodgson’s thoughts, but faces a tough competition from his would-be-teammate Raheem Sterling. However, he praised the teenager heavily and suggests that the competition within the squad is healthy.

 “He’s a great athlete,” he said. “The more we see him out there on the pitch, the better it is for the country. It is great he has taken his club form into the national set-up.

“There are a lot of talented players because Wayne [Rooney] played out wide the other day, [James Milner] can play there. There is a lot of competition and that is healthy.”