England look certain to face the attacking threat of Luis Suarez when they take on Uruguay in Sao Paulo on 19 June.
The Liverpool striker had been a doubt for the World Cup Group D showdown due to a knee injury but has announced he is confident he will be fully fit for the match.
And Suarez, who won the PFA Player of the Year award in April, says he never doubted he would recover from his injury in time.
The 27-year-old said: “At no time have I felt sad because at no point did I think there was a chance of me missing the World Cup.
“The thought never went through my mind – I could have cried [in pain] because of this injury but I didn’t, because I knew.
“Injuries are not only a physical question, which is the most important thing of course, but also a question of your mind.
"My objective was clear: be strong emotionally and physically. I wanted my children to be able to see me play at the World Cup.”
