Liverpool veteran Lucas Leiva has defended the role of foreign players in the Premier League.

The Brazilian is in his tenth season with the Reds.

He told the Daily Mail: "It can be difficult for young English players at big clubs like Liverpool. Teams have money to buy and want results straight away so they go out on loan to the Championship or League One.

"But overall I don't think bringing in foreign players holds them back. I think it actually helps because we can share our experiences and way of playing, and you see a lot of English players doing really well in the Premier League.

"In Brazil, you don't have many foreign players, so the league is good but not as good as when you can attract more players from around the world.

"Football can be a very good example for everyone with the different nationalities, religions and cultures in the same dressing room. The respect always has to be there otherwise it doesn't work.

"I think if people outside football would adapt the same way we adapt as footballers, we would have a better world for sure."