Harry Kane isn't England's only captain gunning for World Cup glory this year

Harry Kane isn't the only England captain dreaming of World Cup glory in 2022.

The Three Lions ' talisman will be hoping to end 56 years of hurt as he leads Gareth Southgate's side out in Qatar.

But before that Matt Crossen will be skippering England's Cerebral Palsy team as they target World Cup success out in Spain. The tournament, taking place in Barcelona, begins this Wednesday (April 27) and concludes on May 16. It is the pinnacle for those players involved in this seven-a-side concept and Crossen and his colleagues will be hoping to improve on the side's fourth-placed finish at the last event in 2019.

Crossen's journey to leading his country at a major tournament is one that began with a seemingly innocuous nose injury whilst playing for non-league Marske United, aged 23. Just weeks later he suffered a life-changing stroke whilst at work.

Despite a long road to recovery and some tough times along the way, he is philosophical about the road life has taken him down.

Speaking to Mirror Football fresh from a training session at national hub St George's Park , he says: "Believe it or not, at the time I worked for a gym and I'd just done a talk on how going to the gym stops you having heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure etc.

"Then I just sat down and suddenly my arm was just across my chest but it felt like it was up in the air. That was obviously the first sign (of a stroke). I couldn't walk, couldn't talk. I had to learn to do everything that you learned from being a child.

"But I think everything happens for a reason. And I think if it was something that was supposed to happen to me then I was sort of like 'well let's get it out of the way'. The doctor came in and he said it's going to be difficult to