Argentina star Lionel Messi heaped praise on England and their prolific striker Wayne Rooney, saying he hopes his side will face the Three Lions in the World Cup final. "England are always a tough team to play against because they have a lot of spirit and they fight to the end," Messi was quoted by The Daily Mirror as saying. "I know Capello is a great coach and has changed things a lot for England - they are a much better team now he is in charge, and I know they will do well." Rooney, who was plagued with some injuries ahead of the World Cup but made England's squad, is 'the key' for the one-time world champions, according to Messi.
Rooney "But on the pitch, Rooney is the key. I like him - he is a great player, very strong, with a lot of energy. He works hard for the team, holds the ball up well and he is a formidable striker," the Argentinean stated. "If he steers clear of injury, England will have a good chance of doing well. "It would be great to play up against Rooney, although I don't think I would see too much of him because we play mostly at opposite ends of the pitch. "For me, England have a good balance. They look very dangerous when Peter Crouch plays with Rooney up front. I like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, too, but Rooney will be the key. "It would be good to play against him in South Africa - preferably in the final, if that is possible."
