Wayne Rooney comes face-to-face with the World Cup trophy

By Jonathan Liew 704PM GMT eleven March 2010

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England"s series 10 in all bears the treadmill of sponsors" functions with great beauty but respectful disinterest. This, though, was different. If World Cup fever had unsuccessful to interfuse Rooney"s cocoon of thoroughness until now, he can perceptibly have been undeveloped of it afterwards.

A bombardment of flashbulbs greeted him. A 2,500-strong throng in thrall chanted his name. "Win it for us," one witness begged. "You"re a genius," cried another. Rooney blinked, smiled nervously. An aptitude for hidden the show is his batch in trade. Milan one day, Earls Court Exhibition Centre the next.

Beckham surrenders old dominion to Rooney Wayne Rooney goals Wayne Rooney England star player Wayne Rooney in cinema Wayne Rooney Manchester Uniteds Wayne Rooney can fill opening left by Cristiano Ronaldo

According to Fifa rules, usually past winners and heads of state are authorised to hold the World Cup. For now, the King of Old Trafford had to have do with close vicinity and a focused glare. But not for him the damned of Steven Gerrard, who could perceptibly bear to see at the Champions League prize when introduced to it at a media eventuality in 2005. When you"re enjoying a deteriorate similar to Rooney"s, you can lure as majority predestine as you like.

"You try not to think as well majority about the World Cup, but it"s regularly there in your mind," he said. "It"s a bit weird, since it"s the majority iconic prize of all time. Hopefully we"ll have this behind here by the finish of July."

That 15-inch prize is hard-wired in to Rooney"s consciousness. He removed sitting in his grandmother"s front room at age 12, saying Michael Owen scoring opposite Argentina. He remembered saying Ronaldo light up the Far East 4 years later. Gelsenkirchen in 2006, on the alternative hand, stays a unpleasant memory. Not that he ever does, but come South Africa he shall not wish for motivation.

That majority was transparent after the prize was privileged afar and a widescreen TV and Playstation wheeled onto the theatre in the place. The diversion was Fifa World Cup 2010. Rooney"s counter was Matt, a foe leader who had warranted this event by opening a propitious bottle of cola. But from Rooney"s desperate, steadfast expression, it could only as simply have been a drifting Carvalho or Lucio at Soccer City. Here is a man who despises defeat. At anything.

Matt, personification as Spain, scored early in the second half. Rooney, as England, edged closer and closer to the screen, jolt his head energetically and gesturing extravagantly as tackles and passes went astray. Rooney supposed his 1-0 loss with piety and waved to the throng as he departed, but you feel the subsequent chairman to take him on at that diversion is in for a aroused hiding.

* Former World Cup leader Carlos Alberto has called Wayne Rooney "the most appropriate player in the world". The Brazilian, a part of of the 1970 World Cup-winning team, pronounced in an talk on Scottish air wave "Rooney is right away the best. Better than Messi, improved than Ronaldo. It is since he has worked so tough to turn the best."