Tottenham defender Eric Dier is full of pride over his England recall.

Having been ever-present in Antonio Conte's resurgent Spurs side, the central defender admits that this was his last chance to make the squad.

“Obviously, yeah, if I wasn't in this [squad], then I think [that I'd have missed the World Cup]," Dier told reporters after Saturday's 6-2 win over Leicester. “It's been a nice week. It would have been better if we had won in Lisbon, but it's been a good week and a nice way to finish it off here."

Discussing his contact with Southgate during his exile, Dier added: “I spoke to him once and, as I said, I was focussing on what's in my control and that's playing for Tottenham."

Dier's return comes just after he scored his second goal of the season in Tottenham's thrashing of Leicester, which leaves Spurs in third place after an unbeaten start to the season, and the defender feels grateful to his club for getting him back in England contention.

“Honestly, it wasn't really what I was thinking about [playing for England]," he added. “I was just thinking about trying to be as good a player as I could be for Tottenham and then everything else that happens as a consequence as that will happen, but I think that's the only thing I had to focus on."