Fulham striker Bryan Ruiz says the prospect of playing at the World Cup is giving him added motivation to help Fulham move further away from the bottom three.
Costa Rica have qualified for next summer's finals and Ruiz, who captains his country, is targeting a good season with his club in preparation for Brazil.
The striker admits it was difficult to recover for Premier League games after returning from qualifiers in North America but is now fully focused on Fulham.
"I want to play very well this season to give myself the best preparation for the World Cup," he said. "I am enjoying it here and I want to improve.
"It has been a tough schedule for me. I flew to Costa Rica many times to play for the national team, which is difficult to recover from. I am very tired because it is difficult to go to America and play, then come back and play again here. It is difficult to cope with the jet lag."
Fulham moved three points clear of the bottom three with Monday's 4-1 win at Crystal Palace. They travel to Southampton tomorrow and Ruiz believes Martin Jol's side have turned the corner following a slow start to the season.
He said: "We started with some doubts but two wins in a row gives us confidence. We are in a better position now but we have to continue. I am surprised by Southampton's form but they deserve to be where they are. They are going to be confident so it is going to be tough."