• Premier League

Lucas 'stronger' after Brazil heartbreak

ESPN staff
April 21, 2011
Lucas is enjoying the best spell of his Liverpool career © Getty Images
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Liverpool midfieder Lucas Leiva believes the disappointment of missing out on last year's World Cup has ultimately made him a better player.

Lucas has now firmly established himself in the Brazil side but he believes the heartbreak of being left out of the World Cup squad last summer has made him stronger.

"Missing out on last summer's World Cup was a huge disappointment and a bad moment in my career," Lucas said in the Sun. "In the long term, such a disappointment has made me a stronger person and now, having played the last few Brazil games under new coach Mano Menezes, I am very confident."

Lucas put pen to paper last month, signing a new long-term deal at Anfield and he is determined to help Liverpool continue to improve under manager Kenny Dalglish.

"I'm really, really happy," he said. "The last few weeks have been really good for me. I signed a new contract and I can spend more years at Liverpool. I will do my best all the time and try to help the club to be bigger and want to keep doing my best for them."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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