Michael Carrick, who almost managed to be a surprise win at the PFA awards last season, has backed his teammate Wayne Rooney to deliver the goods for the England national team in Brazil when they take on the hosts of the 2014 World Cup in a friendly match.
England also have a couple of important matches over the course of the month before the new season starts. Rooney has been disappointing for England since coming on as a potential star back in the Euro 2004. He is widely rumoured to be looking for a move away from Manchester United.
Carrick, who has managed to establish himself as one of the front-runners in the England team after yet another brilliant season with his club Manchester United, expects Rooney to put behind his past performances and strike gold for England. The friendly match against Brazil will be one of the numerous important encounters that Roy Hodgson's men have over the coming months. Rooney played second fiddle to Robin van Persie throughout the season. Despite this, the 27-year-old almost scored 20 goals last season and he has been linked with both Chelsea and PSG in the last few months.
Rooney handed a transfer request to Manchester United, which was his second, shortly before the end of the season.
"We’ve seen him do things like that many times. He has done it again on a big occasion. It was a special game even though it was a friendly. How many times do you get the opportunity to come and play against Brazil in the Maracana? The boys wanted to grasp it so I think we did. Playing in Brazil is certainly up there as one of my best experiences,” said Carrick ahead of the crucial friendly match with Brazil, which will be followed by World Cup qualifying matches.