Every English football fan breathed a sigh of relief this week when it was announced the Wayne Rooney will be fit for the World Cup.

Newspaper headlines such as “Get Well Soon” and simply, “Pray” were plastered around the back pages earlier in the week when Rooney limped off in Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich, just weeks before the World Cup in South Africa is due to begin.

Scans have revealed that Rooney suffered minor ankle ligament damage and should be out for around 3-4 weeks, meaning that he should be fit in time for England’s first match against USA on June 12th.

Most England fans would agree that without Rooney, who took his goal tally for the season to 34 this week, England’s chances in South Africa would be up the creek without a paddle. Major tournaments seem to attract injuries to England’s top players in recent years. At the World Cup in 2006 Michael Owen damaged his cruciate knee ligament in the opening game of the tournament. Rooney himself missed the same game after breaking his metatarsal. David Beckham is already set to miss the World Cup after tearing his Achilles playing for AC Milan, possibly bringing an end to his long international career.