Skip to main content

Rooney says Welbeck will be fit for England opener

  • Author:
  • Publish date:

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Wayne Rooney says his fellow England striker Danny Welbeck will be fit for the team's World Cup opener against Italy despite injury concerns.

Welbeck limped out of training on Tuesday according to British media reports. He then sat out at least the open part of Wednesday's session at the Urca military base in Rio de Janeiro.

''Danny will be fine,'' Rooney said Wednesday. ''He'll be ready for Saturday. He just hasn't risked anything. He'll be available for Saturday, I'm sure.''

Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was also missing from the open 15 minutes of training as he recovers from a right knee injury.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has already been ruled out of the Italy game in Manaus.

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.