It is sometimes easy to forget Rooney is not 23 until later this year, such has been his impact for club and country since becoming England's youngest international against Australia five years ago.

Rooney's form for Manchester United - who won the Premier League and Champions League this season - has continued to go from strength to strength since his £31million move to Old Trafford.

However, despite some 14 goals from 43 caps, the former Everton trainee has never quite reproduced that magic for the national team since impressing at Euro 2004, which ended with a foot injury as England lost in the quarter-finals.

Rooney also failed to shine at the 2006 World Cup, where he had to battle back to fitness from a broken metatarsal only to be sent off in the defeat to Portugal in the quarter-finals.

The England striker will have to watch this summer's European Championships as a frustrated spectator following the ill-fated reign of Steve McClaren.

New head coach Capello, though, is in no doubt Rooney - who did not travel to the Caribbean for Sunday's friendly against Trinidad and Tobago - has the talent to perform at the very highest level.

"I believe that Rooney has a very good chance of becoming truly one of the best in the world," the England manager told the July edition of FourFourTwo magazine.

"He's still young and will have lots of chance to improve."

Capello maintained: "I think we shouldn't be in a hurry. The problem is this: England play only a few games and so everyone remembers everything about these matches.

"For your club you play maybe 59 or 60 times a year, so everyone forgets those occasions when you don't play well - you might play badly on the Saturday, then do well again the Wednesday after.

"But when you play for England you have to wait a couple of months to get another chance.

"I've seen Rooney play with United many times. I've seen him play lead striker, right wing, left wing, sometime right-back.

"So for this reason I would accept Rooney in any role on the field."

Capello, meanwhile, confirmed he would weigh up all options before naming a permanent new England captain.

Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Steven Gerrard have all had spells wearing the armband under the Italian, appointed to guide England safely to the next World Cup in 2010.

Former skipper David Beckham led the side against Trinidad and Tobago, while Gareth Barry, the Aston Villa midfielder, took over as captain for the second half in Port of Spain.

"There are different ways of looking at this," said Capello.

"In Italy it is all about the number of games you've played. So you just have to sit there and add up the numbers and say 'this is the captain'.

"But the captain has to be someone with a strong personality, a leader on the field. He must transmit confidence to the team and be the right arm of the manager on the field."

The England manager added: "I have a few ideas. For now, I've more than one."