Chelsea fullback Ashley Cole says his foot injury has him well prepared for the World Cup.

Cole admitted the foot injury sustained at the hands of USA midfielder Landon Donovan has helped him reach peak fitness ahead of the World Cup.

England play the USA on 12 June in their opening Group C game and it will be the first time the two players have met since Donovan accidentally fractured Cole's ankle in February.

The incident occurred when Donovan was on loan at Everton and the Chelsea left-back limped off in agony after they both struck the ball at the same time.

He said: "I do feel fitter than before, actually. I feel sharper than before I got injured and am happy with the rehab. The physios were brilliant with me and I have come back very strong.

"At the time I was devastated because I felt I was playing well, I scored a few goals and I wanted to help the team.

"I think in the Burnley game I took a kick on the ankle and I had to come off. That was painful but I played the next game. I knew this one was bad because as soon as he [Donovan] kicked me - it wasn't really a kick, he hardly touched me - I put my foot down and I knew something was different.

"I have got a dodgy ankle as it is but you know certain pains and you know if you break things. I try to carry on, normally, but I just knew I couldn't carry on with this.

"It did hurt me but I worked hard to get back fit. It was also at a time when not everything was going right for me in my private life. I went away to France and tried to keep my head down. I tried hard to get back fit.

"I was getting up at seven in the morning and finishing at 6 O'clock. I had an hour's break for lunch and that was it. Basically all day I was getting my rehab in the gym and it was the same when I came back to the training ground.

"I felt I was letting down the team not being there but in the end it turned out well. I was supposed to be out for three months and I made it back in two months so I was happy."