Alan Shearer: 'Wayne Rooney needs successful World Cup'

Former England captain Alan Shearer has said that Wayne Rooney is crucial to his nation's hopes of winning the World Cup this summer.

The Manchester United forward has struggled for form and fitness in England's last two major tournaments, but will go to Brazil full of confidence after scoring 17 goals in the Premier League this season.

"Rooney has scored 38 goals for England. He's only 11 short of Bobby Charlton's record and I think he will go on to break it," Shearer is quoted as saying by The Mirror.

"But he needs to go out and have a big tournament. If he does that, he will be the key to us having a successful World Cup. When Rooney plays well, England play well.

"I'm a Rooney fan. He ticks all the boxes as a player, but for him to be put in the same bracket as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, he needs to have a great tournament in Brazil – although, having said that, Messi has yet to set the place on fire at a World Cup as well."

Rooney has won 89 caps for England since making his debut in 2003.