Wayne Rooney just needs a medal with England to be crowned as an all-time great according to Manchester United teammate Gary Neville.
Rooney turned in another match-winning performance in Sunday's 2-1 Carling Cup Final triumph over Aston Villa, grabbing his side's crucial second goal after replacing the injured Michael Owen.
"Wayne is a great player to play with and is one of the brilliant players Manchester United have had," said Neville.
"He has been brilliant for England too. The only thing he has to do for England now is go and win something. That is what England players have been striving to do for the past 40 years. That would really crown it off for him.
"England cannot afford to lose him and neither can we. We have two months of important matches now and we need him fit for them.
"It is there for everyone to see. He is going through a peak moment in his career. He is looking dangerous every time he goes on the pitch and can score lots of goals."
Burn-out is a worry for some, although not the man himself.
And Neville does not feel Rooney will weigh himself down with the burden of such heavy expectation that is now sitting on his shoulders.
"Wayne can handle all the comments and accolades, all the praise and criticism," he said. "He has been around a long time now and he has the experience of a 30-year-old really even at such a young age because he came into the Premier League at 16.
"He has played in European Cups, FA Cups, World Cups and European championships. He has experienced the lot and is maturing now. It is not just about his performance, it is about his determination and character and his willingness to always fight for the team - that is what makes him stand out."
