Rooney no worry, insists Thuram

14 April 2012

France defender Lilian Thuram believes Euro 2004 may prove a step too far for England striker Wayne Rooney at the tender age of 18.

The Everton star has so far shown no signs of being overawed on the international stage in racking up five goals in 13 England appearances.

Rooney earned rave reviews for his display when scoring a brace against Iceland on Saturday but Thuram believes he will find life much harder in Portugal.

Thuram said: "I doubt how much Rooney can give to the England team. He is very young - too young for such a hard competition like this.

"He lacks international experience, so for England to depend on him to score is dangerous. Rooney is not Michael Owen - he was a far better player on his debut for the English team. The Everton player is good, but he is no Pele."

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