Wayne Rooney knew Jude Bellingham would be a star when he man-marked him and ‘left his studs in’ aged just 16

WAYNE ROONEY has backed Jude Bellingham to shine at the World Cup after getting a Championship bruising from him.

Bellingham went toe-to-toe with England’s all-time top scorer back in 2020 as Rooney’s Derby beat Birmingham 3-1.

But the former Manchester United skipper knew the teenager had something special after Bellingham left his studs on him.

Rooney, 37, said: “I played against Bellingham when he was at Birmingham and I was playing for Derby.

“He marked me and was only about 16. What I really liked about him is when I passed the ball off he would leave a stud on me and I remember thinking he had something about him.”

After that season, Bellingham made the switch to Dortmund where he has been branded the “oldest 19-year-old” boss Edin Terzic has ever seen.

He has been handed the captain’s armband at the Signal Iduna Park and has scored nine goals this season.

And with 17 Three Lions caps already to his name the midfielder is expected to play a key role for Gareth Southgate in Qatar.

Rooney, who has selected his team for the tournament, added: “The character to go out to Germany and take that league by storm and the mentality to perform.

“He has been captain for Dortmund as well.

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“He will be a huge player for England. Even though he is young he will put some of that character in the rest of that squad.

“I hope he doesn’t go to Liverpool or City. He is the hottest player in world football and I am sure United are working as they tried to get him a couple of years ago. He is a player United could really do with at the minute.”

Rooney’s all-time scoring record of 53 England goals is under threat at the World Cup with Harry Kane just two goals shy of joining him.

But Roo has backed the Tottenham striker to smash his record and wants him to do it in Qatar.

He told TalkSport: “Harry will go on and smash the record and score about 70 goals. He deserves it.

“It is a huge honour to have the record but they are there to be broken and I can’t think of anyone better than Harry to break it.

“Hopefully he breaks it at the World Cup because it means he is doing well for England.”

Wayne’s team vs Iran: Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Phillips, Bellingham; Foden, Kane, Saka.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk