Middlesbrough stopper Brad Jones has revealed "the World Cup is irrelevant for me now" after his son was recently diagnosed with leukaemia. The Australia international left his country's World Cup camp after being granted compassionate leave to go and be with his four-year-old son.

"The World Cup is irrelevant for me now," Jones told the club's official website. "When I walked into the room and Luca smiled when he saw me, that was worth more than anything the World Cup could ever give me."

He added: "I went numb when I was told about him. All sorts of things start going on in your head. The treatment will last for five weeks and I want to be here with him as much as I can."