Wayne Rooney

Great white hope

England's forward Wayne Rooney (L) vies with Argentine goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri during England vs Argentina friendly match, 12 November 2005, at the Geneva stadium in Geneva. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE MERLE

So great is the excitement surrounding Wayne Rooney's mouthwatering talents that many people in England were hoping the Manchester United striker would win them the 2006 World Cup until he suffered a broken foot six weeks ahead of the tournament.

It seems Rooney will be taken to Germany even if he is still in plaster, with the hope he would be fit for the later stages of the competition.

Hailed since his Everton days when a wondergoal ended a 30-match Arsenal winning streak when he was still 16, the barrel-chested Liverpool boy's stock rose with four crucial goals at Euro 2004.

When he limped away with a previous broken foot in a losing quarter-final against the hosts Portugal he had been the revelation of the tournament, and England fans could sense their side's hopes implode.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates his 2nd goal against Fenerbahce during their Champion's League football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, 28 September 2004. AFP PHOTO/PAUL BARKER

Despite the broken bone his return to England was swiftly followed by a blockbuster 27 million pounds (40 million euros) transfer to Manchester United, 'Rooneymania' in the tabloids going into a frenzy.

He sent a shockwave through European football on his Manchester United debut some months into the season, scoring a hat-trick in a 6-2 win over Turkish side Fernabahce that earned him plaudits from the four corners of the game.

Youngest ever

Wayne Rooney (L-23), the youngest player ever for England, receives consolation from colleague Francis Jeffers at the end of match after Australia beat England 3-1 in a friendly at West Ham's ground in East London 12 february 2003.

England coach Sven Goran Eriksson had handed Rooney his international debut against Australia in February 2003, several months before his 18th birthday, making him the youngest England debutant since Michael Owen in 1998.

There was then a fierce media campaign to include Rooney in the starting line-up to play Turkey in a key qualifier for Euro 2004 and the ginger-haired starlet duly turned in a man of the match performance as England ran out 2-0 winners.

Wayne Rooney from Enlgland celebrates his goal against Macedonia during their Euro 2004 Qualifying match at the City stadium in Skopje 06 September, 2003. AFP PHOTO DIMITAR DILKOFF

Macedonia in September 2003 provided another challenging stage for both Rooney and England with places at the table in Portugal at stake.

The nerveless and visionary teenager became the youngest England scorer ever bagging his first goal, an equaliser, before David Beckham hit the clincher for a vital 2-1 win.

He continues to grow in stature and is invariably voted man-of-the-match whether playing for England or Manchester United.

Rooney won his first trophy at United in March 2006, his two strikes helping Manchester to a 4-0 win over Wigan in the League Cup.

Mr Hyde

The only cloud on the Rooney horizon is his tendency to see red, red as in anger and red as in cards flashed by referees. Some say it's all part and parcel of his on the edge game.

He is quite clearly unafraid of even the toughest of defenders, but incidents such as telling the England captain and assistant coach where to get off, and clapping in a referee's face, have begun to earmark him as an easy wind up target.