Wayne Rooney
Football - England v Switzerland - UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying Group E - Wembley Stadium, London, England - 8/9/15 Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring the second goal for England from the penalty spot and becoming England's all time leading goalscorer Reuters/Eddie Keogh

Wayne Rooney broke England’s goalscoring record to become the country’s top scorer after netting his 50th international goal for the Three Lions. Rooney scored an 84th minute penalty in England’s 2-0 win in the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley on Wednesday.

Rooney, who captains Premier League side Manchester United, scored No. 50 to surpass Sir Bobby Charlton’s scoring record of 49 goals. Rooney was emotional after scoring the historical goal, saying that being England’s all-time leading goalscorer before the age of 30 is not something he had dreamed of.

"I was a bit emotional out there and it's something to be extremely proud of. I'm happy it's done and hopefully I can kick on from here and concentrate on the team and our success in the future,” told ITV Sport.

Rooney launched his spot-kick past Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer after Raheem Sterling received a foul in the box, giving England a decisive win in their group stage qualifier. The Red Devils skipper admitted he put too much power in his penalty kick because he knew it was a big moment for him.

Charlton congratulated Rooney for eclipsing his record, and while disappointed to lose the record title, the 1996 World Cup winner said he was delighted that Rooney was the one who took it from him. Rooney now stands ahead of Charlton, and former Tottenham Hotspur forward Gary Lineker, who scored 48 goals in 80 games for England.

"On behalf of myself and everyone at Manchester United I would like to say 'Congratulations Wayne this is a very proud moment for you and your family. It is a record that I am sure you will hold for a long time, and it is clear to see that you will go on scoring for your club and country for a long time to come',” Charlton told United’s official website.

However, BBC’s Phil McNulty argued Rooney is not yet England’s greatest striker ever despite being the all-time leader in goalscoring. McNulty suggested that Rooney lacks impact at major tournaments, after disappointing performances in three World Cups in 2006, 2010, and 2014. However, McNulty admitted Rooney is the finest England player of his generation, and has a well-deserved place in the history books.

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