Wayne Rooney has told Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson that he cannot turn down playing for England.

Ferguson voiced his concern last weekend that Rooney was doing too much.

The striker had played an hour of the Carling Cup final, despite having a knee problem, and then insisted on playing almost a full game for England against Egypt at Wembley three days later.

It led to Ferguson resting him last weekend for the game against Wolves, so he could be right for AC Milan on Wednesday, but Rooney said: "I am proud to play for my country and I want to play for it unless I really can't."