Marcel Desailly has claimed Fabio Capello can lead England to the World Cup - even after delivering a major snub to Wayne Rooney.

World Cup winner Desailly played under Capello in AC Milan’s great European Cup winning team of 1994 when they destroyed Barcelona.

Ex-Chelsea defender Desailly believes that Capello has now brought his magic touch to the England set-up and helped the Three Lions roar again.

But Desailly, who lifted the World Cup with France in 1998, says that England’s one major weakness is their lack of a world class striker as he clearly does not feel Rooney is in that bracket.

Desailly said: “England are one of the favourites. When you see Argentina struggling, Brazil are fine, the Dutch are fine but I want England to do well.

“I have worked with Capello and the one thing that you understand from working with him is that he is a winner.

“England may be do not have a top, top amazing striker yet, but otherwise England are really complete.

“Capello has achieved his first objective with England. He has got them to the World Cup finals and now they have a great chance.”

Desailly, 41, says that Capello’s track record as a manager means that he is the most important factor in England’s set-up - even ahead of their biggest names.

Desailly added: “Capello has an amazing CV. He had six great years at Milan, then he went to Rome, won the league in a place where it’s very difficult to win.

“In football, it’s the players who are most important rather than the players. But it’s in reverse with Capello, because it’s all about Capello, Capello, Capello.”