Adam Lallana would be a certainty for a World Cup place if he was from Spain or Brazil, according to Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Lallana’s brilliant season got a little better as marked his 250th appearance for the club by firing home a well taken goal to help Saints to a 3-0 win at Fulham in front of watching England manager Roy Hodgson.

It’s hard to imagine what more Lallana could do to press his claims for inclusion in the England squad for this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Pochettino is reluctant to hand out advice to Hodgson, but is fully supportive of his player and thinks he has what it takes to get make the plane.

He said: “I have great respect for Roy Hodgson’s decisions and it’s not up to me who gets on that plane.

“But, in my opinion, if Adam Lallana had a Brazilian or Spanish nationality and was another Mata or Oscar or any of these kind of players he would for sure be going with his national side. I clearly believe that.”

He added: “England fans should be excited about him “Of course he’s a very talented and special player.

“He’s a player I really praise and I really like his characteristics as a player.

“Hopefully he can be on that plane to Brazil because he fully deserves it and has the quality to be there.

“His progress is consistent.

“Him and other players it is their second season playing in the Premier League so it’s only normal that they’re more professional and their progress is always on the up and constant.

“These are players that are always improving and showing their talent and progression.

“You can see from his talent he’s one of the most talented players in the English game right now.

“He’s the type of player that’s hard to find in any other English team and his talent is clear to see.”

Also hoping for inclusion in the squad for Brazil are Lallana’s teammates Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez – who also both scored in the 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage.

“All the factors have an influence on that and there’s a lot of work behind doors to make that happen,” he said of his attacking trio.

“There is also a special chemistry between them and those two factors combine for them to play that well together.”

Hodgson must have been impressed by what he saw and Pochettino reflected: “If Roy Hodgson was in attendance at the games against Yeovil, Arsenal and Fulham he would have seen those three games live and in these three games our strikers scoring goals.

“It was very important that the three strikers got goals and got on the scoresheet and that’s always going to increase their chances of making it to Brazil so that was important for them.”