Roma keeper De Sanctis rules out Italy return

The 37-year-old called time on his international career just over a year ago, having failed to usurp Gianluigi Buffon as Italy's regular number one.

De Sanctis has been in fine form for Roma this season, helping the club to second place in the Serie A table.

That has led to rumours Italy coach Cesare Prandelli may ask De Sanctis to travel to Brazil later this year, with Juventus' Buffon and Paris Saint-Germain's Salvatore Sirigu likely to occupy two of the three goalkeeping spots.

De Sanctis has distanced himself from an international return though, telling reporters: "As far as the World Cup goes, I left the national team a year ago for both footballing and non-footballing reason.

"I left the team in extremely good hands, both with Buffon who has been magnificent for twenty years and with whichever other goalkeepers Prandelli chooses to take with him to Brazil."

When asked about Roma, De Sanctis insists there will only be happy memories of the present campaign, even if they fail to overhaul Juventus' eight-point gap at the top of the table.

He added: "Up until now we are extremely happy, but we could be even happier were there not a team eight points ahead of us.

"There are six matches to go now and we want to do well in all of them. Whatever happens though we will look back on the season as an extremely positive one."