After playing his part in England’s 2-1 victory over Tunisia in the Group G opener, the Manchester United defender will be hoping to start again when Panama provide the opposition today (Sunday, 13:00 BST).
His involvement in the beautiful game's biggest event was something he wished for when he was barely five years old back in 1990.
”Italia ’90 was the one I remember first,” he said, when asked to recall his first World Cup memories by MUTV.
“I remember hearing the name Toto Schillaci and I think I even bought the computer game on the Nintendo.