England football team manager Roy Hodgson has named Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney as the new captain of his national team.
Rooney, who has 40 goals in 95 appearances and has also been named as United captain by boss Louis van Gaal earlier this month, takes over from Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, who retired after England's World Cup elimination.
Rooney said that it is something he will take massive pride in doing, adding that to be appointed captain is beyond his wildest dreams, The BBC reported.
England play Norway at Wembley on 3 September in a friendly before their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign starts in Switzerland on 8 September.
Hodgson has named four uncapped players in his latest squad, with Arsenal's 19-year-old defender Calum Chambers, and Newcastle's Jack Colback, Tottenham's Danny Rose and Aston Villa's Fabian Delph, all 24, in line to make their international debuts.
Speaking on Rooney's appointment, Hodgson said that he gave it a lot of thought but the United striker is an obvious choice. He added that Rooney is the right man and he would show enormous enthusiasm and responsibility.
Hodgson also said that he has had a long conversation with Rooney and he's prepared to accept the pressures that the England captaincy brings. He added that in the two years that they have been working together he has had no reason to question Rooney's character, desire to play for the country and wholehearted willingness to offer himself in every situation.
Rooney became the youngest player to play for England when he made his debut in a friendly against Australia on 12 February 2003, and scored his first goal later that year against Macedonia in a European Championships qualifier.
The United star has captained England twice, in a pre-tournament friendly with Brazil in 2009 and a World Cup qualifier against San Marino in 2012, as well as having previously had a stint as vice-captain.
Rooney added that as a kid he always loved the occasion of watching a big England game on the television. He said that back then he had a burning ambition to play for his country and now to be appointed captain is beyond his wildest dreams.
