Rooney told the News of the World: “When the gaffer told me I was in the squad I was really happy and asked when the Under 21s had to report. He just laughed, shook his head, and said: ‘No, the full squad’. I couldn’t believe it.

“To have the chance to be around senior internationals is going to be a great experience for me and I can’t wait.”

Eriksson plans to field England’s youngest side to date in the second half.

He will start with his strongest possible line-up, but has promised leading clubs he will use none of their players for more than 45 minutes.

In the second half, he will turn to an under-26 side, with many young stars, but the greatest focus will be on Rooney, who turned 17 only last October and has played just a handful of first team games for Everton.

His club manager David Moyes had cautioned against him being rushed into the senior England set-up, but Eriksson insisted the Everton boss had given his blessing to the move.

“If I was Wayne Rooney, I should be delighted as it should be one of the biggest things in his career,” said the England coach.

“I’m sure he’ll respond like that. He’s only 17 but Pele was 17 when he won the World Cup in 1958 in Sweden and he scored twice in the final.

“Maybe it was stupid of me to compare him to Pele though. That’s not good for anyone. To be a Pele is extremely difficult.”

Moyes told his club’s official website, www.evertonfc.tv: “Everyone here at Everton is delighted for Wayne.

“His development has come quickly. He’s not played that many games for Everton and I think it is a credit to himself how quickly he’s progressed.

“He still has a lot to do and a lot to learn and we have tried to bring him on as slowly as we can, but his talent is there to be seen by everybody and we’re pleased for the boy.

“But it is only the start of a long road for Wayne and we hope that it is going to be a distinguished career for Everton and England.”