David Beckham has urged England manager Roy Hodgson not to drop under-fire forward Wayne Rooney, claiming that the Manchester United star will "scare" teams at the World Cup.
Rooney's place in Hodgson's starting lineup was thought to be in doubt after a below-par performance in the 0-0 draw with Honduras, but Beckham is certain that the 28-year-old deserves his opportunity.
He told The Mirror: "When opposing teams see Wayne Rooney's name on an England team sheet, it still scares them.
"I will always back Wazza because he is a great talent and a great player for England. It's all about confidence with strikers, but Wazza has always been about more than just scoring goals.
"He's a goalscorer, but he works hard for the team and that is what Wayne's game has always been about. If he doesn't score goals, he's either assisting or creating something for the team. He is a creator as well as a scorer."
Rooney made his England debut in 2003.
Chris O'Keefe
