Wayne Rooney's England career is over, says Sir Geoff Hurst

Wayne Rooney's form for Everton should not warrant a recall to the England squad and his career with the national team should effectively be over, according to 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst.

Rooney has hit the ground running since moving back to Goodison Park in the summer after 13 years at Manchester United, scoring twice in the Toffees' first two Premier League games of the season.

The 31-year-old's newfound lease of life has prompted calls for England manager Gareth Southgate to include him in the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia, which is announced on Thursday (24 August).

However, Hurst, whose hat-trick clinched England's only World Cup 51 years ago, believes the country have to move on without the Everton striker.

"He [Southgate] has made some bold decisions and I think the bold one he can make is, for me, to say it's the end of Wayne Rooney's international career," Hurst told the Daily Mail.

"He has been an absolutely fantastic player. At club level he wasn't playing regularly for Manchester United last season, which is an indication - and if you are not playing regularly at club level you certainly should not represent England in my opinion."

Rooney, England's all-time leading goalscorer, was dropped last season by Southgate after enduring a difficult season with United and Hurst believes it's in England's best interest to focus on a new generation of players.

"I wouldn't necessary call it a bold decision to not play Wayne Rooney any more, but if I were in charge of the national team I would call Wayne up and say, 'thanks very much'," Hurst added. "He has been a fantastic player, one of the greatest players in this country but old Father Time, and I have been there as a striker, comes where you lose a bit of sharpness and I think his time playing for England is over."

Hurst's comments come a day after Everton defender Michael Keane suggested Rooney had done enough to be handed a return to the national side.

"Personally I think he deserves it the way he has been playing but that is up to the manager," said the 24-year-old. "There are a lot of good strikers who have been scoring goals so it is his decision."

On Monday night (21 August), Rooney became only the second player after Alan Shearer to score 200 Premier League goals after netting against Manchester City, as Everton held Pep Guardiola's men to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.