Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has revealed that Paul Gascoigne was his idol as a young player.
Gascoigne has suffered health problems recently, being admitted to a US treatment centre after his agent told BBC Radio Five Live that his life was in danger.
However, Lampard prefers to remember Gascoigne as the player who looked after him during the European Championships in 1996.
"I was lucky enough to be involved in Euro '96 with him as a kid and he took me under his wing," Lampard told ITV News.
"I was completely in awe of his character, how much he was joking around and more than that the quality of his football. I've got no message for him now, I don't know enough about it. I've just read and I wouldn't want to read too much into that.
"Whatever anyone says about Paul Gascoigne, he was my hero and he'll always be that."
Lampard has scored 26 goals in 93 appearances for England, compared to Gascoigne's 10 goals in 57 international games.
Barney Corkhill
