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| England v USA: international friendly – live! | England v USA: international friendly – live! |
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| So, what does Rooney make of the furore around tonight’s testimonial? “Of course there would be people with their opinions – people who agree and don’t agree – and I think my name brings a bit of controversy with it and that’s partly the reason why,” Rooney, set to win his 120th cap, says. “It was an idea which I felt was good and if the timing was right, I thought it would work.” | |
| Half an hour until kick-off, so enough time for a little nostalgia to make us feel all fuzzy and warm. So, Wayne Rooney’s best goal? For club? It’s difficult to look beyond that volley for Manchester United at Newcastle’s St James’ Park in 2005. For country? | |
| England may only be in friendly action, but Spain are up against Croatia in Zagreb in the Nations League this evening. If Spain win, then England – who face Croatia on Sunday – cannot top the group, or win the tournament. But if Spain fail to win, then an England victory this weekend would take them to next June’s finals. It would also guarantee a Euro 2020 play-off place: | |
| A couple of killer pre-match stats, courtesy of our chums Opta:• Lewis Dunk will become the first Brighton player to play for England since Steve Foster vs Kuwait in the 1982 World Cup | |
| • Sancho will become the first outfield player to start a game for England while playing for a club from outside of the UK since David Beckham (LA Galaxy) against Netherlands in August 2009 | |
| • Christian Pulisic and Sancho have combined to be a part of 41.3% of Borussia Dortmund’s goals across all competitions this season | |
| • Callum Wilson is the first AFC Bournemouth player in history to start a match for England while representing the club | |
| Gareth Southgate talks, and says the plan is for Wayne Rooney to play about half an hour off the bench. “We will look to give him 25-30 minutes,” Southgate says. “We’ve a few changes we want to make in the second half of the game, a few players who need minutes before Sunday. There’s a few objectives from the game.” And has the Rooney factor helped in the buildup to kick-off? “We’ve had a nice moment back at the team hotel, where he has presented them [debutants] with their shirts and spoken to them about his memories and what it’s meant to play for England. I think that’s already had a compelling effect on them. It’s been great having him this week to pass on those bits of gold dust really.” | |
| As for the likes of Callum Wilson, Lewis Dunk and Jadon Sancho, he adds: “We’ve a good opportunity to look at some players we have not had the chance to work with before, three debutants making their full debuts. It’s exciting, we want to see how they cope against an equally young and energetic team.” | |
| England: Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Keane, Dunk, Chilwell; Delph, Winks, Alli; Lingard, Wilson, Sancho | England: Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Keane, Dunk, Chilwell; Delph, Winks, Alli; Lingard, Wilson, Sancho |
| Subs: Rooney, Kane, Butland, Walker, Henderson, Sterling, Barkley, Rashford, Stones, McCarthy, Dier, Loftus-Cheek | Subs: Rooney, Kane, Butland, Walker, Henderson, Sterling, Barkley, Rashford, Stones, McCarthy, Dier, Loftus-Cheek |
| USA: Guzan; Yedlin, Miazga, Brooks, Villafara; Trapp, McKennie; Weah, Green, Pulisic; Wood | USA: Guzan; Yedlin, Miazga, Brooks, Villafara; Trapp, McKennie; Weah, Green, Pulisic; Wood |
| Subs: Horvath, Carter-Vickers, Adams, Delgado, Lletget, Saief, Moore, Acosta, Cannon | Subs: Horvath, Carter-Vickers, Adams, Delgado, Lletget, Saief, Moore, Acosta, Cannon |
| The man himself, Wayne Rooney has been speaking pre-match. “I’m excited,” he says. “I think it will be a little strange, playing my last game. I’m sure there will be a few nerves before I go on the pitch, and emotional as well. It’s a moment I’ve done many times, but to know this is the last one and with my family here to be a part of it all, it’s a special moment.” And, what if he scores, has he got a ready-made celebration to mark the occasion? “No, it will be the same as what I always do. You never know, sometimes emotions take over. If I could nick a goal, it would be great. But I’m just looking forward to getting on the pitch one last time.” | The man himself, Wayne Rooney has been speaking pre-match. “I’m excited,” he says. “I think it will be a little strange, playing my last game. I’m sure there will be a few nerves before I go on the pitch, and emotional as well. It’s a moment I’ve done many times, but to know this is the last one and with my family here to be a part of it all, it’s a special moment.” And, what if he scores, has he got a ready-made celebration to mark the occasion? “No, it will be the same as what I always do. You never know, sometimes emotions take over. If I could nick a goal, it would be great. But I’m just looking forward to getting on the pitch one last time.” |
| This is it then, the last goodbye, the final farewell. One last swan song and what better way to be remembered, eh? And at least he will go out with a bang. But in excess of five million big ones ... for Richard Scudamore? You could boil water with a look. Could they not just give Scudamore a five-minute cameo tonight? That golden handshake all makes Wayne Rooney’s sudden last hurrah all the more understandable, with the former England captain set to don the armband in the approx. 68th minute for one last runout under the Wembley arch, 734 days on from his last cap. Not everyone is sold on Rooney bowing out part II, with Peter Shilton, England’s record appearance-maker, arguing caps should not be dished out “like gifts”. Still, England’s all-time leading goalscorer will walk out to a guard of honour before winning his 120th cap for his country. Will he add to those 53 goals? Just imagine. “It’ll be a huge night for Wayne, and we want to make it special for him,” Gareth Southgate, the England manager, said at his pre-match press conference. “We think it’s important to honour him for the achievements. It’s been disappointing to see him having to defend his inclusion. But we value what he’s done. We value what he’s given.” | This is it then, the last goodbye, the final farewell. One last swan song and what better way to be remembered, eh? And at least he will go out with a bang. But in excess of five million big ones ... for Richard Scudamore? You could boil water with a look. Could they not just give Scudamore a five-minute cameo tonight? That golden handshake all makes Wayne Rooney’s sudden last hurrah all the more understandable, with the former England captain set to don the armband in the approx. 68th minute for one last runout under the Wembley arch, 734 days on from his last cap. Not everyone is sold on Rooney bowing out part II, with Peter Shilton, England’s record appearance-maker, arguing caps should not be dished out “like gifts”. Still, England’s all-time leading goalscorer will walk out to a guard of honour before winning his 120th cap for his country. Will he add to those 53 goals? Just imagine. “It’ll be a huge night for Wayne, and we want to make it special for him,” Gareth Southgate, the England manager, said at his pre-match press conference. “We think it’s important to honour him for the achievements. It’s been disappointing to see him having to defend his inclusion. But we value what he’s done. We value what he’s given.” |
| Away from Roo, as he was so fondly referred to in some quarters, there is a game of football. The Brighton defender Lewis Dunk and the Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson are set to make their debuts, while Alex McCarthy, the Southampton goalkeeper, could also feature; a bit of a south-coast love-in, if you will. Up front, Borussia Dortmund teenager Jadon Sancho is expected to get the nod from the start. “As a youngster, playing around with your friends, you’d always re-enact playing at Wembley, things like that,” Wilson said. “It’d be one versus one, where you’d try and score to get through to the next round. Even then I was hoping that, one day, it would happen for real.”Kick-off: 8pm (GMT) | Away from Roo, as he was so fondly referred to in some quarters, there is a game of football. The Brighton defender Lewis Dunk and the Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson are set to make their debuts, while Alex McCarthy, the Southampton goalkeeper, could also feature; a bit of a south-coast love-in, if you will. Up front, Borussia Dortmund teenager Jadon Sancho is expected to get the nod from the start. “As a youngster, playing around with your friends, you’d always re-enact playing at Wembley, things like that,” Wilson said. “It’d be one versus one, where you’d try and score to get through to the next round. Even then I was hoping that, one day, it would happen for real.”Kick-off: 8pm (GMT) |