David Beckham believes the number of foreign players playing in the Premier League will actually help England lift the World Cup.
Beckham, 40, played 115 games for England and captained them at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
While England do not have the breadth of talent that was available during his time as a player, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder says he still has high hopes for the future.
"It doesn't worry me," he told France Football. "Why? Because the belief that England can win the World Cup has never left me.
"Every time I took part in a World Cup, including when I was captain, and I said in a press conference that, in my opinion, we had a chance of winning it, I was totally serious. I didn't say it just to please the fans or journalists.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world. If that's the case, it's also because foreign players are coming to play in it. They raise the standard of the competition.
"I was lucky to be there when Eric Cantona arrived at United. To see him arrive in the dressing room... we were all completely bowled over.
"He's one of the best players, if not the very best, that I played with."
Beckham also reserved special praise for Ryan Giggs. He said the former Wales winger was an example to him and other teammates on the famous United youth team of 1992 such as Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville.
"Later, I hope, he'll become manager of Manchester United," the former LA Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain player said.
"He was our source of inspiration even though he was only one or two years older than us.
"We saw him playing with the first team and we said to ourselves 'you have to do what he does.' Even if none of us reached his level."