Former England international Trevor Sinclair has tipped Wayne Rooney to defy his doubters at this summer's European Championships in France.
The Manchester United and Three Lions captain is widely considered to have not performed well at a major tournament since he burst on to the scene as a teenager during Euro 2004.
His displays for United this season have also resulted in calls for him to be dropped by head coach Roy Hodgson, but Sinclair has backed the 30-year-old to cause a "surprise".
"I think Rooney could be a surprise. The amount of disappointment he has had playing for England - I remember the tournament where he was playing so well before he did his metatarsal and that was an exciting Rooney - and we've not really seen that player at major tournaments since then," he told 888 Poker.
"As you get closer to the end of your career and feel that finishing line not many people will expect too many things from Rooney due to his past record at major tournament finals. But I think he will step up and put in performances."
Rooney is England's leading goalscorer of all time, having found the net on 51 occasions at senior international level.
Liam Apicella
