• Charlton’s record of 49 under threat from Rooney • Rooney fourth on England’s all-time list with 41 • Rooney spares England blushes against Norway

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

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England’s greatest goalscorer, Bobby Charlton, has backed Wayne Rooney to break his longstanding record.

Rooney, the new captain of the national side, is closing in on Charlton’s international tally of 49 having scored for England for the 41st time against Norway last week.

Rooney is now the country’s fourth-highest goalscorer with only Charlton, Gary Lineker (48) and Jimmy Greaves (44) ahead of him.

Charlton, 76, could also see his record Manchester United mark of 249 beaten by the club’s current captain, Rooney, who has scored 217 times for the Old Trafford club.

Charlton, who retired from international duty after the 1970 World Cup, said: “He is really keen to break my record, which seems to have stood for a long time. I’ve told him not to worry too much. He has my backing. I’ll be quite happy when it comes.

“I told him: ‘‘Think hard about it and maybe you’ll have some good news.’ I’ve had good news from it all my life. I don’t mind him taking it.

“It would a great achievement – and it would be a change for me. That’s good. He’s a good lad and I don’t mind it at all.”

Charlton is also revered as one of England’s 1966 World Cup winners and he hopes Rooney will one day be able to add team success to his international achievements.

Rooney has been criticised in the past for a failure to shine at major tournaments and he has taken over the national captaincy at a tough time after a poor World Cup.

Charlton, speaking at the Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester, said: “What we have to do now is make sure that he wins. We need to start winning. It is all very well having these accolades that people push to you, but you have to make sure you get something out of it.”