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England v Slovenia: Wayne Rooney expects long international future as he earns 100th cap

Wayne Rooney: Determined to shine on the international stage
Image: Wayne Rooney: Closing in on Sir Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record for England

England captain Wayne Rooney says he still has plenty more years of international football in front of him as he prepares to win his 100th cap at the age of 29.

Rooney will become the ninth player to amass 100 caps for England when he leads the side out at Wembley on Saturday, but is by far the youngest to reach the milestone.

"It is something I have really enjoyed doing," he said.

"It has always been a great honour to play for England and something I want to carry on doing for a lot more years."

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Jurgen Klinsmann has described Wayne Rooney as one of the best players he's ever seen, but thinks the striker has to win a trophy at international level

Rooney has attracted criticism for underperforming in major tournaments - with the exception of a brilliant display as a teenager in Euro 2004 - as well as some disciplinary lapses in an England shirt.

"There have been some good moments and some bad moments," said Rooney, who has scored 43 goals for England since making his debut as a 17-year-old in 2003.

But the quarter-finals of the European Championship in 2004 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2006 is as close as he has come to getting his hands on silverware.

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"I think the ultimate goal, which I've always said, is to win trophies and it something which we are working towards doing," he said.

Euro 2016 Qualifiers

"To get 100 caps and join the players who reached that is a great honour for me and something I am proud of."

Rooney will join former international team-mates Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the 100 club as well as Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton, both all-time greats of the English game after their 1966 World Cup triumph.

"Those two players are World Cup winners," he said. "It is not everyday someone can go around and say that.

"That's what I would like to join, be a World Cup winner. That would be amazing, of course, if we could do that.

"To play for my country so many times is a great achievement and I truly am honoured to be able to do that."

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Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp looks ahead to England's Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia.

Rooney looks well capable of surpassing Peter Shilton's record haul of 125 caps while Charlton's scoring record of 49 is also within range.

"They are two records that have stood for a lot of years," added Rooney. "To get within touching distance... it is something I hope I can do, but it is not something really in mind at the moment."

Saturday's match should be a night to remember for both captains with Slovenia's Bostjan Cesa set to become his country's most-capped player when he makes his 81st international appearance.

"Rooney is a world-class player who can decide almost any match," said Slovenia winger Valter Birsa.

"We are going to try and do everything to make this match one he will remember in a bad way and on the other hand we will try and make our captain, who is breaking the record, remember the match as pleasantly as possible."

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