Joe Hart thinks Wayne Rooney was 'brilliant' against Norway

Wayne Rooney's debut as captain of England provoked criticism from those who watched the Three Lions defeat Norway 1-0 in front of a half-empty Wembley on Wednesday.

While he may have scored the match's lone goal - a penalty in the 68th minute - Rooney looked underwhelming for the most part and struggled to connect with his teammates. His night could accurately be summed up by a torrid cross that he delivered into the final third, where there was no one to be found.

That being said, Joe Hart doesn't think Rooney played all that badly. In fact, following the match, he referred to the new captain's performance as "brilliant."

"He was great," goalkeeper Hart told the Manchester Evening News. "Wazza is a born leader. He's been around the set up now for years and years.

"He's the pin-up boy of English football and someone we are all very proud to work under."

When asked to describe Rooney's style of captaining, Hart replied: "You've seen it. He's Wayne. He's a good leader. He got around. He's the main man in English football.

"He was brilliant. He took his penalty really well. The keeper went early, but the way Wazza strikes the ball he had no chance."

Rooney may know how to take a vicious penalty, but Hart certainly seems to be turning a blind eye to the rest of the 28-year-old's performance on the pitch.