So the World Cup in Brazil is nearly upon us and like many other football fans worldwide Sport-locker.net are chomping at the bit for it all just to get underway!

And with just a week to go until England play their first match against Italy in Manaus, we thought it was a good time to publish our interview with England number one Joe Hart…

We had the privilege of getting a goalkeeping masterclass from the 27-year-old who was clearly head and shoulders above anyone else in the group.

*gets coat*

SL: How do you handle the pressure and stay positive before a game for England?

JH: Really, it’s just about going through the training and the preparation; looking at the various strikers we’re up against.

Sometimes we’ll look at penalties before the game and try to put myself in the best frame of mind to go out on the field and be confident in what I’m doing.

Do you prepare differently for away games with England, compared to when you’re at Wembley?

I suppose it’s different for some of the levels that you play at. You know some teams are going to come and defend.

But that’s football, it’s concentration and there’s not too much you can do for that. You’ve got to be prepared for every single thing that could be thrown at you; every team is capable of scoring goals at the end of the day.

We’re here to learn more about the ‘Hart Rate Moment’ campaign; have you had a career defining  ‘Hart Rate Moment’?

I suppose my England debut. If it wasn’t my debut, it was the first qualifier I played against Bulgaria. It was a big moment for me.

It was a moment when the Number One spot was up for grabs. I felt we had a good game and we moved forward from there and qualified for the Euros from that group.

Was Gordon Banks’ save for England against Pelé the biggest ‘Hart Rate Moment’ for an England ‘Keeper?

Yeah, it was an amazing save and it’s nice that a save gets recognition like that as they tend to go by the wayside unless it was a penalty.

But that save was talked about more; it was an unbelievable save against one of the best players to ever play football.

How does a goalkeeper bounce back from an early mistake?

Yeah, you’ve got to – life goes on and the game goes on. Nothing stops just because you’ve made a mistake.

You’ve potentially got another 90, 92, 93 minutes to deal with it if it’s in the first couple of seconds. So, more important than feeling sorry for yourself is you’ve got to get on with the game and try to play to the best level you can.

Are there any of your Manchester City team-mates you’re looking forward to facing at the World Cup?

Yaya [Toure] informs me that if it all goes the right way we could be playing against each other in the next couple of rounds.

Obviously there’s no-one from the qualifier [groups], but he’s the first one we could go up against if all goes well.

We couldn’t let you go without talking a little about your boots; tell us about the Umbro Speciali’s you’ve got on today…

Yeah, very comfy! Like you say, I’ve been in them for nearly ten years now. They’re just me, they’re normal and what I associate with football at the moment.

Have you kept any special boots from memorable games?

I think the only pair I’ve kept is the pair I wore in the FA Cup final when we beat Stoke.

And if it comes down to it, will you be happy taking a penalty for England at the World Cup?

Of course! It’s only twelve yards and I kick balls every day! I’m confident I can put it in the tight place over twelve yards.

And we think he should take one! Look at this penalty pearler he took against us before we had a chat with him:

Get him on penno duty Roy!

Joe Hart is the ambassador for head&shoulders ‘Hart’ Rate Moment campaign which is all about illustrating the importance of preparation in order to feel confident in a heart racing moment.  To find out more search #HartRateMoment

What do you think of England’s chances in the World Cup? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Twitter and Facebook pages.