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Bent ruled out of Mexico clash

Darren Bent will hope to recover in time to impress Fabio Capello before he trims his 30-man squad on July 1 © Getty Images

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Darren Bent's World Cup dream is hanging by a thread after a hamstring strain ruled him out of England's warm-up game against Mexico at Wembley.

Sunderland striker Bent was hoping to force his way into Fabio Capello's final 23-man squad but will now miss one of the two games England's fringe players have to impress the manager before he trims his 30-man selection on July 1.

Bent, who made a £10 million switch from Tottenham Hotspur to Sunderland in August 2009, scored 25 goals in his first season at the Stadium of Light, making him the second highest English goalscorer in the Premier League, behind Wayne Rooney.

Despite his impressive goal tally, Bent, 26, is considered the most likely of Capello's five strikers to be dropped and now has little chance to oust the likes of Emile Heskey, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch.

If Bent fails to play a part against Mexico, only England's friendly game against Japan in Graz, Austria, on May 30 remains before the vital deadline.

However, Bent is convinced he has got what it will take to do a job for his country if he is called upon.

"If I go there and am given the opportunity to play games and train and be in that environment, I am a firm believer that I can go there and do it on that stage," Bent said.

"It would just top off a fantastic season for me, to go to the World Cup and play in probably the best sporting event in the world. If I could, it would be the greatest achievement of my life."

Bent started November's friendly clash with Brazil, but struggled to make an impression.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.