London: Wayne Rooney will be out to break his World Cup curse in Brazil after flopping on the biggest stage twice before. Rooney has endured a miserable time at international tournaments since announcing his arrival as an 18-year-old with four goals over two 2004 European Championship matches against Switzerland and Croatia.


England's Wayne Rooney controls the ball during a friendly against Denmark at the Wembley Stadium in March. Pic/Getty Images  

That brilliant burst of teenage energy, which earned Rooney his career-defining move from Everton to Manchester United, has proved something of a false dawn for the striker when it comes to strutting his stuff in an England shirt.