WAYNE Rooney's World Cup hopes were hanging by a thread today after doctors confirmed he had broken his foot.
Manchester United said the 20-year-old broke the fourth metatarsal on his right foot when he was tackled during the match against Chelsea yesterday.
He will be out of action for six weeks, according to the club - meaning he would be due to return on the day of England's first match against Paraguay.
A spokesman for Ladbrokes said they had lengthened the odds of England winning the tournament from 6-1 to 7-1 following the news.
It is not the first time the dreaded foot injury has damaged the national team's prospects.
Shortly before the 2002 World Cup, captain David Beckham broke his second metatarsal and, despite managing to lead the team out in Japan, appeared to be struggling for fitness.
Earlier this month Spurs star Ledley King also fractured his fourth metatarsal during a match against Everton, although he is expected to be ready for the start of the competition in Germany.
Rooney collapsed clutching his foot and had to be stretchered off following a seemingly innocuous tackle in Manchester United's 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
He was later filmed limping on to the team coach.
Rooney fractured the fifth metatarsal on his right foot in the Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat to Portugal. He was not able to play again for 10 weeks.
Selection
If his absence is as prolonged this time he would not be available for selection until the final of the tournament - should the team make it that far without one of their key performers.
The setback is another injury headache for manager Sven Goran Eriksson who is already faced with a list of probable squad members who are less than 100% fit - striker Michael Owen, who yesterday limped out of Newcastle's draw with Birmingham, Arsenal duo Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole, and Tottenham's King.
Eriksson has already pledged to name a 26-man squad on May 8 before cutting three names from the list on the final FIFA deadline-day a week later.
The announcement caps a day of bad news for England, as the FA's favoured candidate to succeed Eriksson, Luiz Felipe Scolari, appeared to rule himself out of the running.
Scolari, who led Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002, claimed he had been turned off by press harassment, although reports have suggested the FA were not prepared to offer him the same é5 million annual pay packet Eriksson currently enjoys.
Is Rooney the vital team member? Have your say below.
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Rooney is one amongst the many.Although one of the better players football is a team game. I don't think having him in or out will be the deciding factor. It's how well England play as a team on the day vs how well the opposing team play on the day that decides the winner. England just don't seem to be bold enough or consistent enough to see them through to the final.
If he recovers in time, even if not for the WC opener, he'll be there. If it heals completely, this lad has enough guts to play up to par. I have never seen a player like him who puts so much heart in his game.Don't despair,Wayne, you'll recover in time, son.
Well this is a big blow for england as micheal owen isnt really ready either.
owen complained to his club physio all is not ok with his foot too.
So who will play up front,surely not the liverpool bean pole.
It looks like england have a crisis on there hands as well as there mess in finding a manager.
who ever rated them 2nd fav's must be kidding or having a laigh.
Not a hope - seriously it's 6 weeks for the bone to heal (harden) then 4-8 weeks after that to run and kick a ball in anger - he'll be looking at August to be fit and hopefully by the new season he'll be in tp fitness
rooney is vital for england just think of euro 2004 when he got taken off, we just wern't as good without him. He is the key for our sucsess.
come on rooney!!! you can make it
If I were a wagering man, I would put cash down on the United States to win the World Cup. You can get some great odds and in my computer generated simulations, they win the trophy nearly 29% of the time.
he's never making it back in time to play in the world cup. He'll be doing well to get back in time for the start of next season.
Might not be all doom and gloom for England though. Just think, without Rooney the pressure is off. No one expects them to do anything, so maybe they will come in under the radar and make it to the quarter finals.