Woodgate joined his hometown club on a yearlong loan from Real Madrid on Wednesday as he bids to return from a long-term thigh injury. Since joining the Spanish club in 2004, he's played only 14 games.

Woodgate, who has played five games for England, said winning more caps wasn't his main priority.

``I have got to get back playing for Middlesbrough first, start climbing the league with Middlesbrough, and then, hopefully, England will happen,'' Woodgate said Thursday. ``If it doesn't, it doesn't. But if you have a good team, you have strength everywhere. England have got some great center halves at the moment.''

Woodgate faces competition for England from captain John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, Ledley King and Wes Brown.

Woodgate made his England debut in 1999, but didn't play again until after the 2002 World Cup. He was not considered for that tournament because he was found guilty of fighting related to the January 2000 assault of a student in Leeds. He served 100 hours of community service.

``I have made mistakes in my life, but I am 26 years old now and hopefully I have learnt lessons,'' he added. ``I have got my family here and I am stable, so hopefully nothing will happen. I just want to play football more than anything.''

Woodgate's last game for England was a 1-0 friendly loss to Sweden on March 31, 2004.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate, who played in central defence for the team last season, said Woodgate had the quality to return to international soccer.

``There is no question that, but for the injuries he has had, he would have had far more England caps than he's got,'' Southgate said. ``I am convinced a successful season with us and he will be back in the fold because that is the quality of the player.

``You could see already in training this morning the quality of his defending, and it's a massive signing for us because he will give confidence to the players around him, confidence to the team.''