Wayne Rooney will deliver, says former Three Lions teammate.
SEE ALSO: Best Football Manager wonderkids
New Aston Villa signing Joe Cole has backed Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to “deliver” for England at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Rooney failed to produce his best form in Germany in 2006 or in South Africa four years ago, but Cole reckons the 28-year-old will show his class in South America.
Former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Cole also says that he expects Rooney to eventually become England’s all-time record goalscorer.
Rooney is currently fifth on a list of Three Lions scorers, 10 behind record-holder Sir Bobby Charlton.
Cole thinks that Rooney could start to bridge the gap to Charlton by finding the net in England’s Group D opener against Italy on Saturday.
“Wayne Rooney is proven,” Cole told talkSPORT. “He will break all goalscoring records with England.
“The class is there and I just think he’s going to be the difference now. If a ball drops in the penalty box against Italy, there is no other man in England you would want it going to. He will come out and deliver this time.”
Cole, who penned a two-year contract at Villa Park earlier this week, has been capped 56 times by England at senior international level, scoring 10 goals.
However, the 32-year-old has not represented the Three Lions since 2010.
Rooney’s 39 senior international goals have come in 92 games.
He is just one goal away from equalling Michael Owen’s tally for England and five and nine short of Jimmy Greaves and Gary Lineker respectively.