By Geraldine Duodu
Ghana defender John Mensah has joined Sunderland chief executive Steve Walton in backing England's bid to host the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
With five days to go until Fifa make their decision on the host nation for the 2018 World Cup, John Mensah and Steve Walton have joined forces to back England's bid.
Sunderland defender Mensah and chief executive Walton are united in their message and say the nation deserves to host the biggest tournament on earth.
Mensah, who reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup with Ghana during the summer, commented:
"Having played a part in the World Cup just gone I know what a fantastic tournament it is. I love playing my football in England and this is an ideal stage for a World Cup."
Walton added: "Sunderland's 2018 World Cup campaign has been built on great partnerships between Sunderland AFC and Sunderland City Council and a wide range of organisations and businesses throughout the North East.
"Thanks to the collaboration and hard work of partners ranging from Middlesbrough FC, whose facilities are an important part of our technical offering, to key businesses in the region such as Nissan and Caterpillar who have throw their considerable weight behind our cause, we have been able to build a campaign that has captured the public imagination and will bring long lasting benefits to local people in the years to come."
Fifa's executive committee will announce the successful bid in Zurich on 2 December.