Rooney World Cup hopes on the rise

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney wears a protective cast on his injured right foot on May 7. Rooney's hopes of being fit in time to play in the World Cup finals have been raised after the England team doctor claimed the forward was making a "perfect recovery" from a broken metatarsal bone in his right foot.

Wayne Rooney's hopes of being fit in time to play in the World Cup finals have been raised after the England team doctor claimed the forward was making a "perfect recovery" from a broken metatarsal bone in his right foot.

England medic Leif Sward told The Sun newspaper that Rooney's fracture was healing quickly, although exactly how quickly will not be clear until the Manchester United player undergoes a scan on Thursday.

"Everything points to a perfect recovery. I have the highest hopes for Rooney and the World Cup," Sward said Monday.

"I hope I can give a perfect answer about Rooney after the next MRI examination on Thursday.

"I hope everything has healed good and I can say everything points in that direction. This healing process has been very, very good."

Rooney, who has been spending time in an oxygen tent to try and accelerate the repair of the bone, has not kicked a ball since he suffered the injury playing against Chelsea on April 24.

Sward added: "He is not allowed to do that or anything else that could make his foot worse before Thursday's examination.

"But he can put pressure on his foot now with the special protection he is wearing.

"It seems like Wayne Rooney has the gift of healing quickly - but it's not that strange. Young people have that gift, much more than older patients."

Even if Sward's optimism proves well-founded, it remains unlikely that Rooney will be fit enough to play in England's World Cup opener against Paraguay. That match is on June 10, only six weeks after Rooney suffered the fracture.