Ex-Sunderland and Rangers striker Jermain Defoe: Football is not important while people are dying every day

The game has been suspended since March 13 due to the health crisis, with no firm date set for its return.

And at 37 years of age, Defoe knows time is not on his side in regards to the rest of his career but he stressed that football has become unimportant amid a rising death tally due to the virus.

"To be honest, there are more important things happening in the world than football," the Rangers striker told TalkSport.

"People are dying every day which is such a sad thing, it puts things into perspective and you think, you know what, football is not important at all at this moment in time.

"The most important thing is the people who are actually suffering and the families that are losing loved ones.

"Of course we are all missing the beautiful game. I am missing the Rangers fans and, like I said before, my team-mates and hopefully we will be back playing soon."

Defoe who has played for West Ham, Tottenham and Sunderland among others, also winning 57 England caps, claims Rangers have "done wonders" in keeping the squad ticking over in terms of their fitness regimes during extraordinary circumstances.

He said: "Luckily enough we have a group chat and it is quite funny. We all stick together on that. We have banter and good chat as you can imagine.

"The club have done wonders to be honest. The sport science is on another level. Jordan Milsom is unbelievable. He was at Liverpool with the manager.

"We have an app where all the players have individual programmes and everything goes back to the sports science team so they know what exactly what we are doing."

People around the United Kingdom on Thursday night took part in a "clap for carers" tribute to the NHS and care workers dealing with the pandemic and a grateful Defoe sent his own message.

He said: "I would just like to thank them on behalf of my family, my football club. They have been amazing, they have been the heroes.”