Rooney, who has worn the England armband on two previous occasions, will lead a new-look England squad featuring four uncapped players into the upcoming matches against Norway and Switzerland.

“Wayne is an obvious choice for his honesty, commitment to the cause, his experience, the fact he has already captained England in the past,'' Hodgson said.

“Now of course he’s got that responsibility at Manchester United as well. All those factors weighed into my thought process and I’m pleased to be able to say I’ve been able to offer it to him. I had a long conversation with him and he’s prepared to accept the pressures the England captaincy brings.”

Asked if he expected the move to spur Rooney on to even greater heights, however, Hodgson demurred.

“I try to shy away from that,” he said.

“I think it’s dangerous to demand that of people. We see so often in the past it takes you on to a new level but with 95 caps and all the goals he’s scored, all the things he’s done, we’ve already seen he’s prepared to take responsibility.

“We hope he continues to push on, he continues to play well and he shoulders the responsibility of the captaincy as well as the other captains before him.”