'I found out about hurtful England World Cup squad snub on the TV - my mum had to console me'

Darren Bent discovered he had been left out of England's World Cup 2006 squad on the TV. Fabio Capello also snubbed the 42-year-old before World Cup 2010 and the manager later admitted it was a mistake and apologised.

Bent scored over 100 Premier League goals during his storied career for the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham and earned 13 caps for his country. But he was never selected for a major tournament.

Ahead of World Cup 2006 , he bagged 22 goals in all competitions for Charlton and admits he expected to be part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad . Yet, in a cruel twist, Bent was left out and didn't make the plane to Germany.

Four years later, whilst playing for Sunderland , he scored 24 league goals and finished third in the top-flight Golden Boot race. However, again, this was not enough to secure selection for South Africa and Capello later admitted this was an error .

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Speaking on In The Mixer brought to you by Sky Bet about the 2006 snub, Bent said: "All season, not that I'd convinced myself I was going, but I'd got in the England squad after my debut and I'd been in all the squads after.

"Near the end of that season, we played Manchester United away and Alan Curbishley took me off at half-time because he said to me: 'I don't want anything to happen to you because you're gonna be going with England to the World Cup. I want to give you every opportunity to go there and do well, so I'm going to take you off at half-time.'

"I was like, 'Alright, fair enough.' I'm thinking in my head, 'Has he heard something?' I was preparing myself. Then, I got to my mum's house, sat in the front room, watching the TV, sitting ready for the squad to be announced.

"But it leaked and it was like, 'We're hearing reports that Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent haven't been selected.' I hadn't heard anything yet. I was convinced I was going. My phone started ringing and it's Sven and he was like, 'Listen you've had a great season but unfortunately, I'm not taking you to the World Cup this time.' That was it.

"I remember telling my mum and it hurt. But at the same time, I'd done all I could. The only people that scored more league goals than me that season were [Ruud] van Nistelrooy and Thierry [Henry]."

Four years later and lightning struck twice. Bent added: "Because it had happened before, I prepared myself for it. I just thought if it happens again, it happens again. In my head, slightly, I thought it couldn't happen again, though. I'd scored 24 league goals.

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"Then Capello phones me, I'm in the exact same spot as well at my mum's house. He goes, 'Hi Darren, I'm not going to take you on this occasion and hopefully see you next season.'

"But after that World Cup, the very first squad the next season he pulled me into a meeting and said, 'I want to apologise, I made a mistake. I should've taken you to the World Cup.'"