Roy Hodgson has congratulated Jamie Vardy after a record-breaking goalscoring run that has fired Leicester City to the top of the Premier League.
Vardy has been in breathtaking form for the Foxes this season banging in 14 goals in total, including 13 during his unequalled streak of netting in 11 back-to-back league games.
Though he is yet to find the net for England in his four outings, Hodgson has been impressed by the all-round displays of the 27-year-old Yorkshireman.
Vardy set up Raheem Sterling's goal against Lithuania
And the Three Lions boss has admitted that if Vardy continues to maintain the standards he has set for himself, he will be a "strong contender" for a place in the England squad that heads to France next summer.
"It’s a fantastic record and he is to be really congratulated on it," Hodgson told TheFA.com, as he was preparing for the Euro 2016 Finals draw, which takes place in Paris on Saturday.
"Jamie has received an awful lot of praise but he deserves it because during that run of games where he has scored in 11 consecutive games and scored 13 goals, he has scored some very good ones.
"Sometimes goals that have been very decisive for his team.
"But on top of that, he has done it playing very much as a team player, so his contribution outside of the goals has been quite enormous."
After rising from non-League football and spells at Stocksbridge Park Steels and Halifax Town, Vardy joined Leicester City from Fleetwood Town in May 2012.
While his goals have made the headlines, it is his contribution to the team that has made a mark on Hodgson.
In the Premier League, Vardy has created two goals for Claudio Ranieri's side, drawn three penalties - from which he has converted all - while for England he laid on Raheem Sterling's goal against Estonia two minutes after coming on in the 2-0 win at Wembley.
"You can’t get a much better contribution than match-winning goals, but he has actually done an awful lot of running, chasing, making very good runs behind defenders," said Hodgson.
Vardy made his England debut away in Dublin in June
"He has constantly been a thorn in the side of every defence he has played against and worked his socks of defensively for Leicester to make sure that any lead they have got, they are able to keep.
"That is a very commendable thing for him to do, whilst scoring lots of goals and breaking records in the process."
He continued: "To do it having arrived in top level football so late – it was really only in the latter part of last season that he started to make a serious mark and attract our attention as a regular Leicester City player doing well in the team - it has been a remarkable rise and a remarkable success story.
"We can only hope that he can keep his form up."
Hodgson added: "Jamie won’t score in every game between now and when I select a team for the Euros, but what he can do is continue to be Jamie Vardy, playing in the way Jamie Vardy does, and that is always going to make him a very strong contender."
How to watch England at Euro 2016
England fans’ best chance of being at matches at France 2016 is by becoming an England Supporters Travel Club member, and applying for tickets through The FA.
For full FAQs detailing how you can get to watch the Three Lions next summer, click here.
England's next home game is against Holland at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday 29 March 2016. Tickets are available to buy online, visit www.TheFA.com/tickets.
