Sevilla's Russian striker Alexander Kerzhakov has slammed England's millionaire footballers.

He said: "England have a team of big stars who earn an awful lot of money from playing - and from their private deals.

"But Russia have a compact group of players who don't have anywhere near as much money but with far more hard workers on the field.

"That is the difference between the two countries. That is why we are in a strong position in Group E and why England have been left just hoping."

The Three Lions are relying on Russia slipping up against Israel here on Saturday to throw them a Euro 2008 lifeline.

Kerzhakov added: "A Euro 2008 finals without players like Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney or Michael Owen would be strange.

"But England have not performed on the field and Russia have more points so that is how it should be. This is football. It is not always the superstars who win the matches.

"We deserve to be in the finals. We have lost only one match and this sums up our consistency.

"Against England, we played without fear. The same cannot be said of England. They have been inconsistent and irregular.

"I don't think they believed they could lose when they came to Moscow. They didn't consider defeat but, at the end, they were upset."