Sven sees signs of scouse Maradona

If this all sounds a bit far-fetched, we should remember that Pele and Maradona - and Owen for that matter - were all teenagers like Rooney when they first began to generate interest way beyond their home countries.

Eriksson, who as a coach in Italian club football often had to devise tactics to subdue Napoli's Maradona, is understandably reluctant to compare Rooney to the young Argentine prodigy. "Dangerous," murmured the England coach.

Everton are already irritated by some of Eriksson's alleged remarks about the interest Rooney is generating from other Premiership clubs and there seems little doubt that at some stage in the future Chelsea's billionaire benefactor Roman Abramovich will test the resolve of the Merseyside club.

But, during a quiet moment in England's preparation for tonight's match, Eriksson thought about the comparison with Maradona and said: "Yes, I think there are similarities.

"Wayne runs with the ball and hurts defences in the way that Maradona did. It's difficult to take the ball off him because he's so strong and has such good balance, like Maradona.

"I think that Wayne is more of a centre forward but I think that Maradona was probably quicker. Time will tell. You have to remember that Maradona was one of the best players in the history of the game."

In time such accolades may come Rooney's way but he has much still to prove - can he control his temper for instance? - and plenty of time in which to establish his credentials on the world stage.

Until quite recently he was still cycling to the Everton training ground. Only a year ago Arsene Wenger described him as "the best youngster I've seen in England."

Yet today this squat, grinning pocket battleship with the impenetrable Scouse accent carries the hopes of a nation. "I'll do me best," he said shyly.

We may need his best, too. Remember Euro 2000? Having lost the opening game to Portugal, England recovered well by beating Germany 1-0 in Charleroi. They needed just a point in the last group game against Romania but a reckless Phil Neville tackle gave away a penalty and Kevin Keegan's team lost 3-2 and were out.

There are no guarantees at this level of the game. Croatia were the shock troops of the 1998 World Cup, finishing third, and many observers believe the present team is better still.

Former England captain David Platt, one of Eriksson's scouts here, has watched them four times this year, including their thrilling 2-2 draw with France in Leiria the other day. "They were unfortunate not to beat the French," he said.

"My report to Sven emphasises their physical strength, their team spirit, the power of their running and the fact that they have a way of playing and stick to it.

"They play a fast counter- attacking game. They press the ball and as soon as you lose possession they're into you. They're the quickest counter-attacking team I've seen for a long time. I've told Sven that the instant we lose the ball we have to regain our defensive shape because they will come straight back at us.

"The big advantage for us is that we need only to draw. The longer we hold out the more they'll have to force the game and the more opportunities that will give us to score."

Platt, the former Arsenal midfield player, singled out Ivica Olic, cleared to play by UEFA despite testing positive for a banned substance, and Rangers new signing Dado Prso for special mention. Olic, who plays for CSKA Moscow, provides the creative impetus from the left of midfield while Prso is an abrasive goalscorer who has a productive partnership with Benfica's Tomo Sokota.

John Terry still has painful memories of Prso, who scored for Monaco against Chelsea in their Champions League semi-final.

But providing Terry can keep him quiet, and England defend with the depth and diligence they showed for long periods against France, they should emerge triumphant and advance to a quarter-final date with Portugal or Greece.