Sir Geoff Hurst believes Wayne Rooney is “the one player that England cannot afford to be without” if they are to have a realistic chance of winning the World Cup this summer.

England’s hat-trick hero of 1966 feels Rooney has been at the peak of his powers this season, but the former West Ham star warned it is of paramount importance to keep the Manchester United ace fit for the duration of the tournament.

Former Telford United manager Hurst was at Lilleshall National Sports Centre for the launch the Northern Premier League’s new three-year sponsorship deal with Evo-Stik as its new sponsor for an initial three-year deal – taking over from UniBond.

Hurst, who was spotted by West Ham playing Sunday football in the Tandridge League, is an advocate for non-League football and its role in the development of the English game.

He said: “Rooney is the one player that England cannot afford to be without.

“Wayne, with the season he has had for Manchester United and England, needs to be playing.

“That would certainly be the case for the latter part of the tournament. You could get away with it in the early rounds, maybe, but to win it, you need your best players for the latter stages.

“He gives you that x-factor. He is one of the top players in the world now. He is at his peak and that is hard to replace.
“You can’t replace great players playing at their best. It is impossible.”

Hurst also backed Rooney to lead the line on his own if necessary.

“I am not sure whether he could have done that a couple of years ago but he has proved he can do it and score goals,” he said.