Rooney: We have learned from World Cup

Wayne Rooney believes England have learned vital lessons from their World Cup disappointment which will stand them in good stead heading into Euro 2008.

The Manchester United striker regrets predicting England would win last year's World Cup in Germany because it cranked up the pressure to impossible levels.

"In the two major tournaments I've played in - Euro 2004 and the World Cup in Germany last summer - myself and the rest of the lads were guilty of putting too much pressure on ourselves," Rooney said in an interview to be published in Friday`s edition of Sport magazine. "Saying we were going to win it doesn't help, and we were guilty of that."

He added: "Being realistic, I think the whole country would have been delighted if we'd reached the semi-finals, and then seen if we could go on from there.

"But we built ourselves up, and the press whipped the country up into a frenzy and then slaughtered us for not playing well."

England are making hard work of their qualification campaign for the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland after drawing at home to Macedonia and losing away in Croatia.

But Steve McClaren's men would be confident of reaching the finals - and then it will be about putting Rooney's plan into action.

He said: "I'd like to think we can win something during my career, because we have got some great players in this country. But the expectation is always far too high, and that is a problem."