Wayne Rooney has officially requested that England manager Thomas Tuchel find opportunities to rest Harry Kane. The former Manchester United player fears that failing to manage the captain’s minutes could lead to exhaustion during the final phases of the 2026 World Cup.
England recently cemented their status at the top of Group L following a 2-0 victory against Panama. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring after halftime, while Kane contributed a header in the 67th minute. This milestone moved Kane to 11 total World Cup goals, officially making him England’s highest scorer in the competition, moving past Gary Lineker.
Although Kane was removed from the pitch with only six minutes left, Rooney argued that he should have been substituted immediately following his goal. The former striker pointed to past tournaments where Kane seemed drained by the end of the competition. Rooney believes that staying on the pitch when a match is already decided creates unnecessary wear and tear. He specifically highlighted that with the competition for the Golden Boot between elite stars like Messi, Mbappe, and Ronaldo, England must ensure their key player is fresh. Rooney expressed hope that Tuchel will be more willing to rotate the squad than his predecessor, Gareth Southgate. England’s upcoming fixture is a round of 32 clash against DR Congo in Atlanta this Wednesday.
