JOSH Lillis has been left 'devastated' by the antics of keeper Ricardo once already – and he is determined it won't happen again.

The Scunthorpe United shot-stopper was just cutting his teeth between the posts as a rookie 19-year-old when he watched the Portugal international on TV in 2006.

Ricardo broke many English hearts that summer as he helped knock the Three Lions out of the World Cup with a string of penalty saves, and a teenage Lillis was chief among them.

Now a little older and wiser, the Iron man will find himself standing at opposite ends of the ground to England's nemesis tomorrow.

Lillis is reluctant to compare himself against any other keeper, but he is eager to take tips off them – and that will include the one in Leicester City colours.

"I was pretty disappointed when we got knocked out then," he recalled of the 2006 quarter-final.

"I think I was at home and had a few mates round, we were just devastated.

"I've seen Ricardo play before and I've always liked him. I remember he saved a penalty with his gloves off once!

"I don't know how he's done at Leicester, but he's a great, experienced keeper.

"He's been to World Cups and everything.

"But I don't think he'll have been to places like Glanford Park regularly, so we'll see how he copes.

"I don't really like to test myself against goalkeepers. I just play my normal game, and that's all I can do.

"But obviously it's good to have a look at other keepers and see if I can get any tips off them.

"I think the foreign players have a bit of a different attitude.

"You see them coming out for any cross that comes in the box. Sometimes it's the right decision and sometimes it's the wrong one.

"But that's the way they have grown up.

"You do need a bit of that in you as a keeper and you need to be really strong minded because one mistake usually leads to a goal.

"Outfield players can get away with so many mistakes, but that's part and parcel of being a keeper.

"It's always there at the back of your mind after the game, but I've learnt now just to put it to bed."

To get Lillis' take on how the Iron's battle against the drop has changed following their midweek defeat at Barnsley, see a four-page Scunthorpe v Leicester City preview in Friday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.