Ace striker Wayne Rooney, whose form has made England believe that he can bring the World Cup home from South Africa, felt "weird" to be near the trophy he dreams of lifting in triumph soon.

When Rooney came face-to-face with the prize, he had an understandable touch of the willies.

He said: "It's a bit weird being that close. England will be going to South Africa well prepared. Hopefully we'll have a great tournament and have this (the trophy) back here come the end of July."

"You try not to think too much about the World Cup but it's always in the back of your mind. It's a dream to play for your country in anything - to do so in the World Cup is unbelievable," The Sun quoted him, as saying.

Rooney was speaking at Earls Court, West London, where the rock band, The Enemy, played a gig for 3,500 football fans at the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Before the show, he joked with the band about his recent run of headed goals.

Rooney said: "I've worked a lot on my heading. It's going well - perhaps it's coming off my bald patch!"

Recalling his own World Cup highlights, he picked a goal from Manchester United team-mate Michael Owen against Argentina at France in 1998.

"I remember watching Michael score that goal. I was watching with my family round at my nan's, only a young boy at the time," he said. (ANI)