Right from his emergence as a 16-year-old onto the scene in a League Cup tie at the Racecourse Ground, Wayne Rooney seemed destined for greatness.

Two goals for Everton on that night in late 2002 signalled to the football world outside Merseyside what a special talent this young man is.

Soon after, a sensational late winner ended Arsenal's unbeaten start to the season, and Rooneymania was officially under way.

Since then in three short years Rooney has become the most talented footballer in England, and the key to his country's hopes of World Cup glory in Germany.

His displays for Everton had him in the England team for a crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey within six months of that Wrexham double.

And, displaying maturity beyond his years, he gave a glimpse into the future by starring in a 2-0 England win.

Euro 2004 was to take Rooney to true superstar level as he first terrorised the vaunted French defence and then notched doubles against Switzerland and Croatia.

A broken bone in his foot early in the quarter-final with Portugal was to end his tournament prematurely, and it ended England's too, but Rooney was now the hottest property in European football and when Manchester United bid more than £20million for his services, he asked for a transfer.

Moving down the M62 to Old Trafford earned him the hatred of the blue half of Merseyside - "Always A Blue" became "Now A Red" - but he showed his star quality immediately by returning from a three-month injury lay-off with a sensational hat-trick on his debut against Fenerbahce.

Not surprisingly he enjoyed a successful season at Old Trafford, despite spending part of it out on the wing. He was a shining star in an under-achieving team, and his vision, maturity and sheer brilliance showed what he can be for his club and country.

The one blot on the Rooney copybook is a temper which can be too easily lost.

Most great sportsmen live on a hair trigger, walking a fine disciplinary tightrope. But more than once Rooney has overstepped the line, once leading to an embarrassing early substitution for England in Spain.

The most notable incident came last September when he was sent off in a Champions League game against Villarreal for foolishly clapping ref Kim Milton Nielsen sarcastically.

These outbursts are especially frustrating when you consider how much maturity Rooney displayed in other situations - he handled the transfer to Old Trafford superbly, and was the definition of restraint on his difficult first return to Goodison in February 2005.

If England are to rule in Germany then Rooney will probably be the key. His brilliance is unquestioned - his passing, finishing and effortless first touch are way above anything else in this country.

But that temperament is a worry. Diego Maradona may see it as a positive, but it must give Sven-Goran Eriksson nightmares.