Aaron Lennon says he is ready for the World Cup

LONDON, May 26: England's teenage midfielder Aaron Lennon says he is ready for the World Cup stage after an impressive showing in their B' international with Belarus.

Voted Man of the Match and praised by his team mates, Lennon was England's only real bright spot in Thursday's 2-1 defeat at Reading's Madejski Stadium.

His superb dribble and cross set up Peter Crouch for a goal that was disallowed for offside after eight minutes and the pacy Tottenham Hotspur winger went on to make a series of runs and came close to scoring with a curling shot.

''It went well for me,'' Lennon told reporters. ''It was a disappointing result but I was pleased with myself.

''I felt fairly confident and the boys looked after me and told me to relax and play my own game. I wasn't nervous at all.'' Lennon, who turned 19 only last month, joined Spurs last year from second division Leeds United, his hometown club.

He has since made an impressive rise through the ranks under Martin Jol, notably in the latter stages of the season as Spurs pushed for a Champions League qualifying slot.

The teenager then won a place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for Germany, pipping Shaun Wright-Phillips to the job as understudy on the right to captain David Beckham.

''It has been unbelievable,'' Lennon said. ''At the start of the season I wasn't even in the squad at Tottenham and now I'm in the World Cup.'' As for the prospect of coming on as a substitute in Germany, where England open their campaign on June 10 against Paraguay in Group B, he said: ''I don't think I would be fazed by the World Cup.

''It is my dream come true. If you go on the big stage, you've got to try and play your best...If I get to play, it will be brilliant for me.''

REUTERS