Rooney rules out England return for 2018 World Cup
Wayne Rooney has insisted there will be no going back on his decision to retire from England duty in a bid to at last enjoy a successful World Cup campaign.
The Ex-England captain, charged with drink-driving on Friday, retired from international football last month having scored 53 goals in 119 appearances that included three World Cups and three European Championships. And the Everton striker said even the fact that the 2018 World Cup in Russia was on the horizon would not lead him to change his decision.
“My mind’s made up,” he told talkSPORT radio on Sunday. “I’ve seen it a few times when players come out of retirement and gone to tournaments and it’s not right. I think the lads now who are trying to qualify for Russia, if they get there they’re the players who will deserve to play in the tournament, so my decision is made.”
Rooney made his move despite England manager Gareth Southgate offering to recall him for the World Cup qualifier against Malta on Friday, a match England won 4-0.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, at 18 the most expensive French player of all time, said Sunday he wanted to ‘mark the history’ of the French capital with his new club.
Mbappe, who hails from the northeastern Parisian suburb of Bondy, joined PSG from Monaco on a season-long loan last week in a deal that will make him the second most expensive footballer in history.
His overall transfer fee could rise to €180 million including addons, which would make Mbappe second only to new teammate Neymar on the all-time list of costliest transfers.
“Big players have marked history in their country whether with the national team or their club,” Mbappe said in an interview with TF1, adding that it would have been premature to have left France.
Australia will qualify for their fourth successive World Cup, by the long road or the short, stand-in captain Mark Milligan declared on Sunday.
Australia’s 2-0 loss away to Japan last week put their qualifying hopes on a knife edge. They need to beat Thailand on Tuesday then hope Japan can hold Saudi Arabia to a draw or better to grab the second direct berth to next year’s tourney.
“Going to consecutive World Cups has been very important not just for the national team but for Australian football, the A-League and lower leagues,” Milligan, who led the side in the absence of regular skipper Mile Jedinak, told reporters.