Alan Shearer believes Wayne Rooney must perform at the World Cup if he is to be regarded as a truly great player, even if the forward goes on to become England’s all-time top scorer.
Rooney has yet to score in eight World Cup finals appearances and some have questioned whether he should be in Roy Hodgson’s starting lineup for England’s opening game in Brazil against Italy on 14 June.
The 28-year-old’s best tournament in an England shirt came when he burst on to the scene at Euro 2004 but he was injured coming into the 2006 World Cup and out of sorts in South Africa four years ago. Rooney was also suspended for two matches at the beginning of Euro 2012.
Rooney has performed well for England outside major competition and is fifth in the all-time scoring chart with 38 goals, 11 behind the leader, Sir Bobby Charlton, with Gary Lineker, Jimmy Greaves and Michael Owen also above him.
Shearer, who scored 30 times for England in 63 appearances, said: “If he wants to be spoken in the same breath as great players such as [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi then he needs to go into a World Cup and play well.
“When you look at his record for England, he probably should and could go on to break Bobby Charlton’s scoring record, but if he does that without scoring in three World Cups something won’t seem right.
“If we are going to do reasonably well Wayne will have to play well. He’s a top player there is no doubt about that.
“Injuries haven’t helped him. Of course he should start, he should be a definite starter against Italy. His ability has to come into it and that applies to everyone. There are a few options going forward that should bring the best out of him.”
Shearer, speaking at the launch of Lucozade’s sport conditions zone in London during a recreation of the humid conditions England will face in Manaus against Italy, admitted he was short of confidence before the 1996 European Championship because many did not believe he should have been the team’s first-choice striker.
The BBC pundit said Terry Venables, then the England manager, instilled belief in him before the tournament and he hopes Hodgson can do the same with Rooney. “I was in a similar situation at Euro 96 under Terry Venables. I hadn’t scored for nearly two years for England and there was different opinions whether I should start or not. But Terry pulled me to one side three weeks beforehand and said: ‘Whatever happens you are starting against Switzerland in the first game.’ Then he said: ‘The rest is up to you,’” Shearer recalled.
“I think that’s what will happen with Wayne. He definitely should start against Italy but the same applies, it is up to him whether he performs because there are other players in there now who can produce a piece of magic.
“I felt I needed that and it gave me belief that the manager believed in me because half the country thought I shouldn’t. I went on to be top scorer. If Wayne gets off to a good start against Italy then who knows?”