'I'd prefer to play the Germans in the final'.

Michael Owen has admitted he would prefer to meet Germany in the World Cup final as Wayne Rooney prepares for his first start since breaking his metatarsal seven weeks ago.

Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed Rooney will start Tuesday's crucial clash with Sweden in Cologne which will decide who finishes top of the group.

A meeting with either Germany or surprise team Ecuador awaits in the last 16.

But Owen, who scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over the Germans in Munich nearly five years ago, would be content if a meeting with their old foes was put on ice until the final in Berlin on July 9.

Owen said: 'Would you expect Germany to be worried by England? I would hope so. But who knows who we will play in the next round?

'It's a great tournament and a lot of the top teams look like they're going to progress. Germany are obviously a top team. I'd prefer to play Germany in the final.'

Owen believes it is a natural progression for Rooney to be given a start by Eriksson after completing 32 minutes against Trinidad and Tobago last Thursday.

He said: 'Wayne has been out for six or seven weeks, he's been training for a while now and played half-an-hour the other day. It's a natural progression forward to keep playing him a bit more.'

Owen is also hoping England will employ less of the long ball tactic in trying to provide service for himself and Rooney compared to when Peter Crouch is the focal point of the attack.

He said: 'You would have thought there would not be as many long balls because myself and Wayne are not that tall. It might encourage players to keep the ball on the deck a bit more.'

Owen has come in for criticism about his performances against Paraguay and Trinidad despite having been out of action for nearly five months.

But he insists England's failure to click into top gear rather than any shortcomings of his own are the reason for his failure to hit the net in the past two games.

Owen said: 'I am as sharp as I ever was but you've not seen it because we're not firing on all cylinders at the moment. If we're playing well then I'll look as good as ever.

'I've been out for a large part of the season so it's inevitable that I'm not going to be on the absolute top of my game straight away.

'But I feel fine, fresh, fit and coming into a little bit of form.'