David Beckham has insisted that Wayne Rooney will be an "inspiration" to his younger teammates as England captain.
The Manchester United striker was given the captain's armband following Steve Gerrard's retirement from international football earlier this summer.
Beckham, who captained England in 59 matches, told the Football Association's website: "Young players will look up to Wayne for inspiration. He's one of the most experienced players in the team now. He's now the most respected player in the team.
"He's a player who wears his heart on his sleeve. People want to see that passion, you fight for every ball and celebrate every goal you score, or every goal you set up.
"That's what Wayne's all about. Wayne's such a great talent, such a great player, people love him, fans love him and it's great to see him with the armband. It's something I know he'll cherish."
Rooney scored the only goal in England's 1-0 win over Norway in his first match as England captain earlier this week.
Sian Cowper
