James Maddison has vowed to prove people wrong on his quest for an England recall.
The Tottenham midfielder was cut from Gareth Southgate's squad for the Euros and not included in Lee Carsley's first selection as England's interim boss, last month.
Carsley will name his latest squad on Thursday for UEFA Nations League ties against Greece and Finland, and Maddison insists he is fit and fresh and feeling the benefits of a summer off like Erling Haaland.
'I feel as fit as I've ever felt,' said Maddison ahead of Tottenham's Europa League tie with Ferencvaros. 'My fitness is at an optimum level. Having a break over the summer, not going to the Euros, it does help.
'I know it's been spoken about with Erling Haaland how he's had a summer off and he hit the ground running and I feel the same. I feel really good. I feel confident. I feel alive on the pitch at the minute.'
James Maddison is eager to prove people wrong and get back into the England squad
Maddison missed out on the final Euro 2024 squad as well as Lee Carsley's first selection
At 27, Maddison has seven England caps. He made his debut in November 2019 but had to wait until 2023 for his second cap, and then seemed to nail down a place in Southgate's plans this time last year when he started his Spurs career in terrific style only to miss out on Euro 2024.
'People make quite a lot of talking about the James Maddison of the start of last year,' said Maddison. 'In my own head, the James Maddison that started last year has been there for four or five years in the Premier League, at that level.
'The exposure of being at a bigger club, winning games made everyone think 'wow, James Maddison is at a really high level' when I felt like I'd been at that level quite consistently for a few years. I feel like I actually finished the back end of last season quite well.
'I always want to prove people wrong. Any sort of doubters, people who question, I always want to prove them wrong. That is where I get some of my hunger from. I get satisfaction from that.'
Carsley knows all about him. He coached a teenage Maddison during his time in the Coventry academy ranks and again when he was England U21s assistant to Aidy Boothroyd.
Maddison says that he feels sharp and is pleased with the impact he is making for Tottenham
'Whenever in life you have setbacks, you can go one of two ways,' said Maddison. 'Either you can let it swallow you up a little bit and feel sorry for yourself and go down that route, or you can respond in the right way or the only way to get back to being successful and getting back in the England squad and playing at the top level for Spurs again.
'I want to be in the squad, it's simple. Every England player will tell you that.'
Tottenham travelled to Hungary without Heung-min Son or Destiny Udogie who are injured, or Radu Dragusin who is suspended.