England striker confident he can put past Cup shortcomings behind him

The burden of delivering at the World Cup has consumed Wayne Rooney in the past, seeming to hinder his ability to deliver on soccer's biggest stage.

In eight games across two World Cups, the England striker has not scored a single goal, looking agitated and unsettled in Germany and South Africa - a shadow of the dynamic, top-earning Premier League performer.

At 28, just when players should be reaching their peak, Rooney knows he must deliver in Brazil if England is to progress, starting on Saturday against Italy at Manaus stadium.

"I've always been hard on myself," Rooney said on Wednesday. "I'm a confident person and I believe in my ability. So I believe I've always put myself under that pressure because I know I can perform. I have no excuses."

Free of injury and with his Manchester United future resolved, Rooney wants to turn the clock back to a time when he was more of a free spirit on the pitch.

"I've maybe put myself under too much pressure," Rooney said at England's Rio de Janeiro base. "Maybe you guys, the media, have put me under a lot of pressure and I've tried to respond to that. This time I haven't - and I'm not going to."

The 2006 tournament ended for Rooney with a red card against Portugal, and his frustrations spilled over four years later when he criticized England fans for booing him after another poor performance.

"I've learned to enjoy this one because I haven't enjoyed the last ones, they've not gone well," Rooney reflected on his checkered World Cup record.

"All of a sudden you're looking back and they've gone and I didn't enjoy them. This one I'm going to enjoy, regardless of what happens.

"I feel better than I have for years, and I've had time to prepare with the team.

"I've gone into previous tournaments with little niggles or different things, but I've not missed a session this time."

Working with talented newcomers on the squad, including Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling and Luke Shaw, is reviving Rooney's memories of when he burst onto the international scene as an 18-year-old, scoring four goals at the 2004 European Championship.

"That's the good thing about the younger lads on the squad - you can see they have no fear," Rooney said.

"We've got a lot of energy, a lot of pace on the team, and if we can pick the right moments we can really hurt teams with the pace and tempo that we can hit them with."

Despite his poor World Cup record, Rooney's 39 goals in 92 England appearances should ensure he starts up front against Italy - contrary to the unusually candid and vocal criticism from former Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes recently.

"I'm sure he's upset a lot of people at Man United because they see me as worthy of signing a new deal with the club, so they obviously have got a different opinion to what Paul has," Rooney said. "It was a bit strange."

But Rooney has become adept at coping with criticism. He's had little choice, having come under fire over his aggressive streak, scoring struggles and problems in his personal life at stages in his career.

"If someone is shouting at me, I have no problem with that," he said after a season in which United performed woefully in the post-Alex Ferguson era. "You can see it really affects some players, but it's not something I get concerned with."

PELE VS MARADONA DRAWS A CROWD

Just outside the Maracana Stadium's main entrance, the debate rages over determining the greatest soccer player of all time.

Over here is Daniel Gonzalez, wearing Diego Maradona's 1986 World Cup uniform and a wig with his trademark black curls and performing the Argentina midfielder's waltzing warm-up routine.

Nearby is rival Marcio Pereira da Silva, dressed in Pele's No 10 Brazil jersey and juggling a ball with his knees and shoulders.

In the run-up to the World Cup opener, the two street artists have been competing head-to-head for the pocket change of fans from around the world who flock to Brazil's Temple of Soccer, below the statue of 1958 captain Hilderaldo Bellini hoisting the first of the country's five championship trophies.

"Maradona and Pele are making peace," Silva said with a smile, stretching his arm around Gonzalez in front of a small crowd that included Mexican fans in tall sombreros, well-dressed street preachers and a sunburnt cyclist who pedaled 3,500 kilometers from Argentina. "The fight is over. Now it's time to party."

The 35-year-old Gonzalez traveled by bus from his hometown of Las Toninas, a beach resort south of Buenos Aires where he works as a leather artisan, to attend the tournament. On a good day, he said he's able to take in 100 reais ($45), enough to pay for his food and lodging at a local hostel.

While he hopes to get inside the Maracana to see Argentina play, his biggest ambition is to meet his idol, the real Maradona, who is in Rio providing commentary for Venezuela's Telesur network.

Silva, 50, says he began entertaining tourists with his freestyle juggling skills after an attempt at a professional playing career failed.

"I wasn't lucky. I had an injury. I tried very hard, but it didn't happen, so I started coaching kids and doing acrobatics," he said.

TUNE IN

(Saturday, Beijing time)

Group A

00:00 Mexico vs Cameroon

CCTV-1, CCTV-5

Group B

03:00 Spain vs Netherlands

CCTV-1, CCTV-5

06:00 Chile vs Australia

CCTV-5

(China Daily 06/13/2014 page24)