Wayne Rooney Issues Stark Warning Despite England’s World Cup Escape
Wayne Rooney has delivered a damning assessment of England’s World Cup chances after Thomas Tuchel’s side scraped past DR Congo in a tense knockout clash.
Wayne Rooney has raised concerns about England’s ability to win the World Cup with the current way they are playing
England beat DR Congo on Wednesday, but they badly struggled for large parts of the match
England eventually advanced to the round of 16 thanks to two late goals from captain Harry Kane, but the performance left Rooney deeply concerned. The Three Lions fell behind early to Brian Cipenga’s strike and struggled for long spells before Kane rescued them with another decisive World Cup moment.
Speaking after the match, Rooney admitted he was happy England had gone through, but warned that the display exposed serious flaws. His biggest concern was how open England became whenever they lost possession, with gaps appearing between the defence and midfield.
Rooney was also critical of Djed Spence and highlighted his concerns around right back
Rooney said England would be in “big trouble” against a stronger opponent if those problems are not fixed quickly. He also pointed to a lack of connection across the team, with the full-back areas and midfield balance becoming major issues as DR Congo repeatedly threatened on the break.
The former England captain was particularly worried about the right-back situation. Djed Spence endured a difficult night, and Rooney suggested Thomas Tuchel may regret not turning to Kyle Walker once England’s injury problems began to mount in that position.
England’s next test will be even tougher. They now face Mexico in Mexico City, where the co-hosts have yet to concede a goal at the tournament and will have the huge advantage of playing at the Estadio Azteca. If England survive that, Brazil and Argentina could be waiting later in the route.
Despite the criticism, Rooney had special praise for Kane. The England captain’s late brace took him to 13 World Cup goals and once again proved why he remains the player Tuchel’s side can rely on when everything else starts to wobble.
For Rooney, though, the message was clear: Kane may have saved England this time, but unless Tuchel solves the structural issues fast, the Three Lions’ World Cup dream could be heading for a dangerous breaking point.
