England International Ivan Toney has revealed that missing out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup was a harder blow to bear than the eight-month ban he currently serves for betting rule violations.
Last month, the forward was given an eight-month suspension from football after pleading guilty to 232 gambling-related crimes in May 2023.
Despite admitting to the 232 breaches of Football Association regulations, it was his absence from Gareth Southgate’s squad for the 2022 World Cup that left a sourer taste in his mouth.
In a chat with the Kick Game YouTube channel, the 27-year-old striker lamented at the missed opportunity to partake in the tournament in Qatar,
“Support is good, but how I am, I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me.
“Even though I miss eight months of football, that was the biggest punishment, to miss out on a World Cup – everyone’s dream – it is bigger than missing eight months of football.”
Ivan Toney was first called up to Southgate’s squad in September of last year, and he earned his first England cap as a late substitute in the 2-0 victory over Ukraine in the Euro 2024 qualifying match in March.
With 20 goals, Toney finished third in the Premier League goalscorers chart and helped Brentford to a ninth-place finish in the 2022-2023 season.
“I believe in myself and hopefully I’ll be at the next one.”
“I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me but I’m just going to focus on when I come back training”,
“I’m going to be a different animal when I come back. Playing in the league, it’s going to be frightening,” said Toney.
