"England are always a tough team to play against because they have a lot of spirit and they fight to the end," Messi was quoted by The Daily Mirror as saying.

"I know Capello is a great coach and has changed things a lot for England - they are a much better team now he is in charge, and I know they will do well."

Rooney, who was plagued with some injuries ahead of the World Cup but made England's squad, is 'the key' for the one-time world champions, according to Messi.

"But on the pitch, Rooney is the key. I like him - he is a great player, very strong, with a lot of energy. He works hard for the team, holds the ball up well and he is a formidable striker," the Argentinean stated.

"If he steers clear of injury, England will have a good chance of doing well.

"It would be great to play up against Rooney, although I don’t think I would see too much of him because we play mostly at opposite ends of the pitch.

"For me, England have a good balance. They look very dangerous when Peter Crouch plays with Rooney up front. I like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, too, but Rooney will be the key.

"It would be good to play against him in South Africa - preferably in the final, if that is possible."