Former England winger Joe Cole has revealed how contact lenses made him a better footballer and has urged young players to learn more about them.

Cole, 32, has played with the aid of lenses for 12 years during his time with West Ham United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Lille.

He is now teaming up with official World Cup sponsor Acuvue as a brand ambassador ahead of this summer's highly-anticipated tournament in Brazil.

"As a midfielder your peripheral vision is massively important," said Cole, who made 56 appearances for England last decade.

"Wearing contact lenses really opened up the pitch for me, improving my ability to spot passes, see runs from team mates and identify tactical opportunities with my passes."

Ruth Graesser, group brand manager for Acuvue, added: "It's such a great opportunity for younger, active people to learn more about how contact lenses can help improve their sporting performance."

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