Speaking to The Daily Mirror, Cahill said, “I see that I have to take up that mantle, and I embrace it.
“I’ve always seen those players, and I’d add Martin Keown as well, as ones I look up to. Martin, Sol, Rio and JT, all of them, they’re players I respect as great central defenders.
“For me to be in their shoes now is great. As a kid you dream of going to a World Cup but you never think it’s actually going to happen.
“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself and realise you’re actually here, in the build-up to going to the World Cup. There’s no better feeling than that.
“The first one I remember is 1998, Michael Owen’s goal against Argentina in St Etienne. That’s the one that stands out for me, the first one I can remember really. And now it’s my turn.”
“I’ve played in big games, like the Champions League final, but this will be different. Everyone who is English wants us to do well. Sometimes the pressure brings out the best in you.
“You get a kind of idea what it might be like, but the one thing you don’t know about is that tournament environment.
“It’s going to hit home when we’re on that plane from Miami and flying into Rio. Then we’ll land and get the sense of how big the tournament is, the atmosphere, the fans and everything else.
“But it’s up to us to make people recognise the talent we’ve got as a squad. That’s how we feel.
“It’s so open, with so many good teams there. In that respect it’s like the latter stages of the Champions League, with so many good teams out there. If we went forward, would it surprise you? No. If Brazil did, would that surprise you? No.
“A lot of teams could go a long way and it wouldn’t surprise you, and we’re certainly in that category.”
Gary Cahill has been an outstanding centre-back for Chelsea in the past two years, since making a move in the winter transfer window back in 2012, under former Chelsea manager Andres Vilas Boas. And had also established himself in the starting 11 last season under manager Jose Mourinho.
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