Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier says his 1998 England World Cup axing broke his career.

Le Tissier still has nightmare memories of the moment Glenn Hoddle left him out of the England squad for the 1998 World Cup in France.

He declared: "After that I never really got to the peak of my form again.

"It was a big blow. At the time I didn't realise how big a blow it was."

The Southampton legend was playing the best football of his career and bagged a hat-trick for England B against Russia in April 98.

But while Alan Shearer and Michael Owen went to France and furthered their careers, Le Tiss said he suffered a major slump when Hoddle did not pick him.