England boss Roy Hodgson has said that Frank Lampard is still "a very important part" of the England set-up after naming the Chelsea midfielder in his 23-man squad for the World Cup.

Hodgson, who was questioned on Lampard's inclusion at a press conference this afternoon, also praised the leadership qualities that the veteran will bring to the squad.

"Frank Lampard is a very important part of our set-up still. You can't compare players in terms of age, you have to think about them in terms of position and in terms of what they are going to bring to the team," he told reporters.

"Frank has been captain of the team on many occasions. He still plays a very important role for his club side. We think that his leadership qualities and the help he will give us all and the ability he has as a player make him a man who fully deserves his selection."

Lampard has scored 29 times in 103 games for England.