SEVEN-YEAR HITCH

Loftus-Cheek at 'peace' after cruel Achilles KO left him/ in Three Lions wilderness

- JEREMY CROSS

RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK has no intention of pining for his lost years as an England international.

In fact Loftus-Cheek has made peace with what could have been and will focus on what could still be - when it comes to pulling on a Three Lions shirt.

Loftus-Cheek had the footballing world at his feet back in 2018 as part of the England squad which reached the World Cup semi-finals in Moscow.

But that world then collapsed, with the midfielder rupturing his Achilles in a meaningless post-season friendly between Chelsea and New England Revolution in the USA.

That saw him miss Chelsea's Europa League final against Arsenal, before facing a long and painful road he USA back to fitness.

But he never imagined it would be seven long years before he found himself back in a Three Lions squad.