Former England manager Glenn Hoddle has expressed his belief that Wayne Rooney can take the World Cup by storm if he plays his normal game this summer.
Rooney is seen as being central to England's hopes of doing well in the tournament, although the Manchester United man is yet to register a World Cup goal after disappointing showings in 2006 and 2010.
However, Hoddle believes that the 28-year-old is putting too much pressure on himself to flourish on the biggest stage and would thrive more if he found a way to "relax".
"Rooney can finally establish himself as a world-class performer and take Brazil by storm over the next few weeks but only if he calms down," Hoddle is quoted as saying by The Guardian.
"He simply must relax. I would tell him that in order to reach his peak on the biggest stage he needs to relax and play his normal game. He tries too hard to live up to his reputation as a world-class player and it shows."
Rooney, who has scored 39 goals in 91 appearances for his country, is expected to start in England's opening match against Italy on June 14 despite speculation over his place in the side.
Barney Corkhill
