Manchester United veteran Paul Scholes has admitted that he regrets turning down the opportunity to play for England (9/1 to win the 2012 European Championships) at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.
The midfielder was believed to have been contacted before the tournament by national boss Fabio Capello who wanted to use the player’s experience for the major competition.
However Scholes declined the chance to play for England with his priorities set on spending time with his family before the start of yet another season with United.
The 35-year-old had to watch as the Three Lions scraped through the group stages of the tournament before being knocked out by old rivals Germany in the first knockout round.
Scholes has since revealed that it was Capello’s assistant Franco Baldini who spoke to him in an attempt to bring the player out of international retirement.
He said: “I said no, but not straight away.
“If I’d have had a couple of weeks to make a decision I would definitely have gone.
“And watching the World Cup I wish I had gone. Following England’s display, people said I must be thankful that I wasn’t involved.”
“I can honestly say that isn’t the case,” he added.
England could have used a player like Scholes as they lacked a cutting edge in South Africa, only scoring three goals in the tournament.
However the United veteran will be fresh and ready for the new Premier League season.
The Red Devils will begin their top flight campaign when they take on Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Monday (Man Utd 2/9, draw 5/1, Newcastle Utd 12/1).
United will be looking to win back the Premier League title from rivals Chelsea who won 6-0 against West Brom on the opening day of the season but Scholes is not worried about the Blues favourite tag.
He said: “That doesn’t worry me.
“The three seasons in a row we won the league I don’t think many people fancied us.
“The more people who don’t think we are going to win it the better.”
This could be the midfielder’s last season with the club who have already won the FA Community Shield after beating Chelsea 3-1.
Scholes along with the likes of Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville could all be coming to the end of their time at Old Trafford in a playing capacity with positions in coaching roles a possibility.
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France legend Zinedine Zidane once famously described Paul Scholes as “my toughest opponent” in a trophy-laden career that saw him win domestic titles in Italy and Spain, as well as the Champions League and World Cup (11/2 England – World Cup outright).