'Below-par performing' England on course for World Cup glory: Gullit

London, May 28(ANI): Netherlands footballing legend Ruud Gullit reckons that England's below-par performance in their practice game against Mexico shows they are on course for World Cup glory.

"I saw the newspapers and some were very critical about the result against Mexico, but if you want to win the World Cup, you have to win scrappy games. In fact, I would tell England not to play well at all at this moment," The Sun quoted Gullit, as saying.

"If you look back through history, most of the teams who won the World Cup didn't play well early on," he added.

Gullit is also confident that England manager Fabio Capello has a strong squad to guide the Three Lions to at least the semi-finals, but fears the likes of Wayne Rooney may not be 100 percent fit after a gruelling campaign during the Premier League.

"The most difficult part is that you've played such an intensive season already and so much is resting on your shoulders. You're tired, but still you have to play a World Cup where everybody expects you to be in top form," Gullit said.Sometimes you just can't and I had that once with the European Championships. I couldn't do it because I was too tired. I managed to do something that helped the team, but I wasn't the same player I had been with my club. It can be very, very difficult to give your best," he added. (ANI)