Wayne Rooney has declared himself ready for anything Portugal's tough-tackling defence throw at him as he prepares to spearhead England's World Cup quarter-final challenge on Saturday.
Rooney has been a marked man since returning from injury to boost England's flagging campaign, and revealed that he has already been targeted in the three matches he has played in the tournament.
But the 20-year-old Manchester United star is unfazed by the possibility of a kicking from the Portuguese in Saturday's quarter-final, the team responsible for sending him limping out of Euro 2004 with a foot injury.
And the volatile striker has vowed not to let his temperament get the better of him if the tackles start flying.
"In the games I've had so far I have had kicks but you've just got to get on with that," Rooney said. "I'm sure it will happen again on Saturday. You've just to stay cool and get on with it."
Having completed a full 90 minutes in the 1-0 second round victory over Ecuador, Rooney feels he is edging closer to the sort of form that saw him light up the European Championships two years ago.
"I think there's still more to come from me in this tournament," he said. "I think with every training session I'm getting better, and fitter. So hopefully I can get better in the games too."
England were leading 1-0 in their Euro 2004 quarter-final against Portugal when Rooney departed with a broken metatarsal, a game-turning injury in a match eventually lost on penalties.
Rooney watched England's shoot-out defeat in his hotel room, but despite the bitter disappointment of that night in Lisbon, the talismanic forward will not be looking to settle a score on Saturday.
"You've got to try and forget it really and look forward," Rooney said. "I certainly won't be going into the game thinking about revenge - but it would be nice to beat them. As long as we keep winning I'm not too bothered."
And after nearly seeing his World Cup dream shattered by another metatarsal injury against Chelsea on April 29, Rooney is just relieved to be playing in the greatest footballing show on earth.
Speaking for the first time about the injury that gripped an entire nation until he was given the all clear to resume playing, Rooney said he knew immediately that something was seriously wrong.
"As soon as I did it I knew I'd done something bad and that I'd be out for a while," Rooney said. "Once I got the news that I'd broken me foot I was gutted. "I didn't think about the World Cup at that time I did. I was playing for Manchester United and we'd just lost the league. That was as disappointing as thinking you weren't going to be in the World Cup."
Although a scan revealed a break, Rooney remained optimistic of his chances of making a recovery.
"I stayed positive and kept believing that I would play in the World Cup and never let negative thoughts come into my mind," he said.
Lonely hours spent in the gym were made more bearable by the presence of United team-mate Alan Smith, himself on the mend from a horrific broken leg sustained earlier That probably helped me because if I'd been in there on my own it would have been a lot harder."
Rooney meanwhile is drinking in the experience of his first World Cup.
"It's brilliant to be here. When you go to the games and see all the fans outside, it's a great atmosphere."
"I'd like the games to come quicker. You probably need the rest but I just want them to come round as soon as possible," Rooney said. He has also retained a boyish sense of wonder at the fact he is sharing a stage with some of the biggest names in football, and was awe-struck by Zinedine Zidane's performance in France's 3-1 win over Spain on Tuesday.
"I thought he was brilliant," Rooney said. "Zidane and Ronaldo have had some criticism which has been embarrassing really."