Danny Rose has said being part of England's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer is a help in his ongoing battle with depression.

The Tottenham Hotspur left-back told Miguel Delaney of The Independent:

"It's no secret that I've been through a testing time at Tottenham this season, which led to me seeing a psychologist, and I was diagnosed with depression, which nobody knows about, and I had to get away from Tottenham."

Rose made Gareth Southgate's squad for Russia despite making just 12 starts for Spurs this season. Injury and a desire to leave blighted his latest campaign with the north London club.

The defender hinted at problems regarding his recovery from a knee problem but ultimately swerved more direct criticism of Spurs: "Things were said and things happened behind the scenes at my club, and I don’t want to go into any detail because I'll end up being fined again."

Rose called himself "lucky" to have the opportunity to leave Tottenham for a while. He detailed how his growing anxiety and depression manifested themselves during the season: "I was getting very angry, very easily. I didn't want to go into football, I didn't want to do my rehab, I was snapping when I got home, friends were asking me to do things and I wouldn't want to go out, and I would come home and go straight to bed."

After disclosing he was taking medication, Rose also identified the knee injury he suffered in January 2017 as one of the root causes of his troubles. Diagnosis and treatment led to Rose taking several injections, rather than undergoing an operation.

The 27-year-old said seeing Spurs win big matches against Manchester United and local rivals Arsenal without him was tough. He also said how tragedies close to home affected him:

"Nobody knows this, either, but my uncle hung himself in the middle of my rehab, and that triggered it (depression) as well. It was really hard, and being referred to a doctor and psychologist [by the Spurs doctor] helped me massively to cope."

Rose also noted how his mother was racially abused back in August and how a gun was fired at his house in the direction of his brother. Delaney pointed out how Rose has advised his family members not to follow him to Russia, amid concerns about racist elements in the host nation.

When asked about the issue directly, Rose said: "It's sad that we are going into a World Cup in 2018 and I'm having to field this question."

Rose dubbed being with England "my salvation. One million percent."

His willingness to discuss his own mental health so frankly has drawn praise from many, including Football365 editor Daniel Storey:

Meanwhile, Matt Dickinson of The Times expressed hope Rose's forthright interview will alter the perception of mental health issues and how they are discussed between peers:

Dickinson's hope is well-founded after the way Rose hasn't hidden from what ails him, talking openly about deeply personal and tragic events in his life.