Rooney vows to lead by example

Manchester United striker Rooney lead out his country on home soil for the first time in a 5-0 thrashing of San Marino which lifted it back to the top of Group H.

The 26-year-old celebrated the landmark by reaching another, netting his 30th and 31st international goals to climb to fifth in England's all-time leading scorer list.

Wednesday's (AEDT) trip to Warsaw will see Gerrard reclaim the armband after returning from suspension and Rooney said: "It won't be a different way I look at the game or the way I try to do things.

"I always try to talk to my team-mates and I feel I can help them.

"It's something that I was lucky to have when I was younger and it's something which I feel it'll benefit them."

Rooney admitted he would love to skipper England full time, saying: "If you can get the opportunity to captain your country, it's something which I think - as a player - you need to grab with both hands.

"In the future, hopefully that'll happen. But, at the minute, Steven's our captain and he'll lead by example for us."

The game was not the first time Rooney had captained England but it was the first at Wembley.

"To actually lead a team out, you look up, you see the crowd and - the atmosphere - it's quite a feeling," he added.

"To captain your country at Wembley is the greatest honour you can have.

"It's something that, as a young boy, you dream of and to actually do it is a great honour for me something which I'll take and cherish for the rest of my life."

That included keeping hold of the armband from the match.

"It's a great honour which I'll keep forever," said Rooney, revealing he did not do the same with his shirt, a prize souvenir for the San Marino squad.

"I gave it to one of the players," he said.

"I've given my shorts as well. That's a first.

"It's a great opportunity for them to come to play at Wembley in front of 86,000 fans."

San Marino were always going to be cannon fodder but Poland is a different proposition altogether on the road to Brazil.

Rooney said: "They're a good team, good, quick team, counter-attacking team.

"We obviously have to be focused and have 100 per cent concentration.

"It'll be difficult game so we'll have to make sure we're at our best to try to get a good result."