England captain Harry Kane is still in the prime of his career, having bagged 60 goals for club and for country in 2025 alone. That said, having turned 32 in the summer, it remains unclear just how long he has left at the very highest level.
While he could continue playing for many years to come, it's not inconceivable that his level of importance for the Three Lions will begin to diminish after the 2026 World Cup. If that is to happen, England will need to look for a new man to lead the nation on the pitch going forward.
On that front, former record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has already suggested his shout for Kane's replacement as captain.
Wayne Rooney Blown Away By "Incredible" Arsenal Star vs Everton
Rooney was in attendance of Arsenal's 1-0 away win against his old side Everton in the Premier League over the weekend, and one Englishman caught his eye. The likes of Jordan Pickford and Bukayo Saka started, but it was Declan Rice who shone the most.
Speaking on his Wayne Rooney Show, the 40-year-old could not help but praise Rice, saying: “I have to say, Declan Rice is incredible, it was a pleasure watching him. He was all over the pitch and his decision making, when to pass it, where to pass it, what foot to pass it to, his detail on his pass. And it was a pleasure to watch, he was absolutely incredible."
Rooney even went as far as to suggest that some people 'underrate' the 26-year-old's all-round game as a complete midfielder, noting:
“He's splitting the centre-backs, he's taking the ball off the centre-backs, acting as a third centre-back, then next minute he's in the box, trying to score a goal. The detail of his passes, picking up second balls, always landing on balls, and sometimes some of the stuff he does goes a little bit underrated, but he was absolutely incredible.
Rooney Backs Rice as England's Next Captain
Declan Rice
Declan Rice
The retired striker then went on to state that Rice will be next in line to take on the captain's armband when Kane is finally ready to step aside. He explained:
“Obviously Harry Kane's captain, but he's the future captain of England. For me, he's the one who's probably waiting for Harry to hang his boots up at some point. Then he's the right one to take over for me because just his drive, his personality, everyone seems to love him, who knows him, who's close to him. He's irreplaceable for England.”
Rooney is obviously well-placed to give his opinion on what it takes to be captain of England, having worn the armband for the Three Lions between 2014 to 2017. That said, it would be interesting if Rice were given that responsibility when he doesn't do so for his club.
Indeed, Martin Odegaard was already Mikel Arteta's most trusted leader before Rice arrived from West Ham (having captained the club to Europa Conference League glory in 2023). There are some fans at Arsenal who feel as though the Englishman should actually wear the armband in north London, but it seems unlikely any change will happen in the near future.