Toney Says The Pain Of Missing World Cup Outweighs Eight-Month Ban 

Ivan Toney, the striker for Brentford and England, expressed that not being able to participate in the World Cup was a more significant disappointment for him compared to the eight-month ban he received for violating betting regulations.

Toney, who admitted to breaking 232 Football Association rules, was charged in November, leading to his exclusion from Gareth Southgate’s squad for the 2022 World Cup.

Despite being the third-highest scorer in the Premier League last season with 20 goals and contributing to Brentford’s ninth-place finish, Toney expressed deep sadness at missing the opportunity to compete in the tournament held in Qatar, where England made it to the quarter-finals.

“Even though I’m missing eight months of football, I feel like that was a bigger punishment, missing out on the World Cup, everybody’s dream,” he told the Kick Game YouTube channel.

“I believe in myself and hopefully I’ll be at the next one.

“I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me but I’m just going to focus on when I come back training.

“I’m going to be a different animal when I come back. Playing in the league, it’s going to be frightening,” he said.

The striker, who received a shortened suspension due to being diagnosed with a gambling addiction, will be allowed to resume training with Brentford in September but will not be eligible to play until January.

Brentford has expressed their commitment to assisting Toney, while England manager Gareth Southgate emphasized the significance of supporting the player during his absence from the sport.