Rooney in position to become World Cup legend like Pele, Maradona: Gerrard
June 11th, 2010 - 5:33 pm ICT by ANIRustenburg (South Africa), June 11(ANI): England skipper Steven Gerrard is tipping striker Wayne Rooney to become a World Cup legend like Pele and Maradona.
“Wayne’s in a position to make this World Cup his own just like Pele and Maradona did. He is a fantastic age, he is in great shape and he is coming off the back of an unbelievable season, probably his best, so his confidence is sky high,” The Sun quoted Gerrard, as saying.
“He is right up there in the category of the very best players in the tournament like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. That gives all of us such confidence,” he added.
Gerrard further insists that he is delighted with Rooney being in his team, and said that the entire England team will be right behind him.
“Hopefully he can be our main goalscorer and score the goals that spur us on to victory,” he added.
Pele became a global superstar as a 17-year-old, when he scored twice for Brazil in a 5-2 win over Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, while Maradona inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico in 1986.
England is pitted against USA, Algeria and Slovenia in Group C, and will play their first game against USA in Rustenburg on Sunday. (ANI)
- 'Rooney better than Messi and Ronaldo' - Apr 30, 2011
- Messi 'shocked' over England's great 'freeze' in World Cup - Jul 03, 2010
- Capello counts Rooney among world's top three footballers - Feb 25, 2010
- Messi voted best footballer on Earth by England fans - Jun 12, 2010
- Superstars are super-flops at World Cup - Jun 27, 2010
- Play Steven Gerrard with Wayne Rooney: Fernando Torres - May 29, 2010
- Algerian 'wall' Bougherra confident of keeping Rooney "off the scoresheet" on June 18 - May 29, 2010
- Kasabian star Meighan predicts England world cup victory - Feb 09, 2010
- Rooney, Gerrard World Cup shirts selling like hotcakes in UK - May 31, 2010
- Rooney is England's Maradona - Jan 30, 2010
- FIFA WC: Rooney branded England's "preening prima donna" - Jun 20, 2010
- Defoe gives England win over Slovenia to send them through (Lead) - Jun 23, 2010
- Rooney, Villa likely to win Golden Boot: Luis Fabiano - Jun 03, 2010
- England will outmuscle other teams in 2010 World Cup: Ancelotti - Dec 24, 2009
- Bale wants to be as good as Ronaldo - Apr 01, 2011
Tags: algeria, confidence, cristiano ronaldo, england skipper, england team, first game, global superstar, great shape, lionel messi, maradona, pele, ronaldo, rustenburg south africa, sky high, slovenia, steven gerrard, unbelievable season, victory, wayne rooney, world cup glory