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Gerrard backs Rooney to emulate Pele's '58 success

Steven Gerrard was the man who took Wayne Rooney under his wing when the forward first broke onto the international scene © Getty Images

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Steven Gerrard has backed Wayne Rooney to emulate the legendary performances of Pele by taking the 2010 World Cup by storm.

On the eve of England's first game against USA, Gerrard takes on the role of captain hoping to 'enjoy' the responsibility rather than suffering under the burden of its pressures. And key to his dreams of success is talisman Rooney, a striker Manchester United fans have been calling 'the white Pele' for years.

Brazilian icon Pele exploded onto the global scene in the 1958 World Cup, becoming the youngest player to feature on football's greatest stage, scoring six goals in the process to help his country lift the trophy. Now Gerrard believes Rooney can aspire to similar greatness, and he even admits that the England squad have been reminding the striker of his importance.

"I think he is in a position to do that," said Gerrard of the Pele comparison. "His confidence is sky high. He's physically in great shape.

"The stage is set for him to deliver, be England's main man and shoot us to glory. And he's aware of that. And the players around him make sure he's aware of it.

"The stage is set for Wayne. He is a fantastic age, he is in great shape and he is coming off the back of an unbelievable season, probably his best.

"I'm just delighted he is English and he is going to be leading us out there and we will be behind him. Hopefully he can be our main goalscorer and spur us on to victory.

"We have been working very hard and each day we are getting sharper and better and dealing with this altitude more and more, and I can see that in Rooney.

"The last couple of days he has been unbelievable in training. If the big players can perform at this World Cup I believe we can have success."

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