Wayne Rooney announced on Tuesday that the campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia will be his last as an England player. "Realistically I know myself that Russia will be my last opportunity to do anything with England," Rooney told a press conference at St George's Park in Burton, central England. "So I'm going to try and enjoy these two years and hopefully I can end my career with England on a high."
New England manager Sam Allardyce confirmed on Monday that Rooney, 30, will be kept on as captain for the World Cup qualifying campaign, which begins in Slovakia on Sunday. The Manchester United striker will make his 116th England appearance in Trnava, taking him past David Beckham as the country's most-capped outfield player. Captain since August 2014, Rooney is also England's record goal-scorer with 53 goals.
But in six major tournament appearances with England, he has never gone further than the quarter-finals. England crashed out in the group phase at the last World Cup in Brazil two years ago and, with Rooney as captain, were humiliated by minnows Iceland in the last at Euro 2016. "I have had a fantastic international career so far, played a lot of games and enjoyed every minute, but at some point it is going to come to an end," Rooney said.