The Brazil great, himself three-times a World Cup winner, has told English fans not to despair ahead of the start of next month's finals in Germany, citing his own experience as proof that an injury to one player need not prevent a team from winning the trophy.

Rooney remains set to travel with the England squad but the 20-year-old Manchester United forward will likely miss most of England's group stage matches at least, after breaking a foot bone just six weeks before the tournament.

"I think in the last four years, there is no doubt England have improved a lot," Pele, in Britain to promote his autobiography, said Thursday.

"In the last 10 years they have been the best organised team and have a good chance to get to the final, no doubt.

"Unfortunately for England they have a problem with Rooney having broken his foot. He is a fantastic player and is a big loss for England. He is very important for the team.

"Who in England has the same level to replace him? England do not have anyone at the same level at the moment.

"This is a big problem but even without him I think England are a very strong team for this World Cup."

However, Pele backed England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in the Swede's decision to take Rooney with him to Germany.

"I think it is (right) because it will give confidence to the team. If the doctor thinks he can be recalled, I think it is good, it makes sense for the team and the group.

"In my first World Cup I did not play the first games in Sweden because I was injured. But then I came in and the same could happen to Rooney.

"What he has is a little more complicated than what I had. I twisted my knee, he broke his foot, but today the new technology and medicine is much better than before.

"I think Rooney is very important for the competition."

Meanwhile Eriksson has shed his image as a dour yet consistent selector by incluing Arsenal teenager Theo Walcott in his World Cup squad. The 17-year-old has not played first-team football since joining the Gunners from Championship outfit Southampton in January.

But Pele, who knows better than most what it is like to go from near obscurity to global stardom in a short space of time, said there was no way his situation was comparable to that of Walcott.

"Nobody has seen him play, even his teammates have not played a game with him. It was different for me because when I was 16 I played in a tournament against Argentina, so when I was at the World Cup I had played several games.

"When I went to Sweden I had a little bit of experience even though I was the youngest player.

"He has never played. It is difficult to say something about how he is going to perform but he was selected because he is a good player.

"It is very difficult to say what is going to happen because he does not have the experience."