World Cup 2014 News: Manchester City Striker Alvaro Negredo Still Hopes To Play For Spain Despite Scoring Struggles

Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo hasn't scored in over three months but that hasn't stopped the English League star from giving up hope that he'll participate in the upcoming World Cup. Still confident that a roster spot with the Spanish National team will be granted to him, the 28-year-old Madrid native continues to do everything in his power to brighten up his professional resume, even though he's started just once in City's last five contests. Noting recently that inconsistent time on the pitch is something that needs to change, Negredo says he hasn't lost confidence in himself even though the World Cup in Brazil begins this June.

“It's my dream to be involved in the World Cup,” he said recently. “It would be great and I'm fighting for it. Not playing regularly means the national manager has not seen much of me but I won't give up. Quite the contrary -- I am full of optimism. I believe he will still have confidence in me. I will carry on working hard in training and score as many goals as possible. It's about carrying on with the same dynamic that served me so well earlier in the season.”

Negredo -- who participated in Spain's Euro 2012 victory but was not with the international squad when they claimed the 2010 World Cup title -- blitzed out to a quick start in his first campaign with Manchester City this season but has found himself in a bit of a slump in recent time. While he's registered 30 goals in 34 total matches with the current third place team in the Barclays Premier League standings, the former Sevilla striker hasn't been able to crack the score sheet since January. With hard work and continued dedication however, Negredo feels he can get back to the form that made his opening experience at Etihad Stadium so successful.

“I am not featuring as regularly as before, but I turned it around earlier in the season so I have got to have the same mentality to turn things around once again,” he said. “I did that by working hard on the training field and scoring goals when I got my chance. Hopefully that's what will happen again.”