Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs Plays Down World Cup Talk

By Adithya Ananth

Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs has cooled the talk surrounding his prospects of heading to the 2010 World Cup, claiming that he does not deserve a place in the England fold.

Gibbs has come under the scanner for all the right reasons, having impressed this season whilst deputising for Gael Clichy on the left side of the Gunners' defence.

It has been suggested that Fabio Capello could take the youngster along to South Africa despite his limited experience in top-flight football, much like how Sven-Goran Eriksson included Theo Walcott for the 2006 finals.

However, Gibbs feels that he has yet to earn such an honour.

"I don’t want to get my hopes up about that [making the England squad]," the 20-year-old told the Sunday Mirror.

"The last thing I would want is to be going into the World Cup on somebody else’s disappointment if there are injuries. I want to be going because I deserve it.

"At the moment I don’t deserve it because I haven’t had the experience."