The gloom was made worse by news that Rooney's England strike partner, Michael Owen, needs to see a specialist after a recurring problem with his foot during his comeback for Newcastle United against Birmingham City.

"World Cup Nightmare. Rooney and Owen crocked," the News of the World said, exhorting its readers to "Pray" for the star duo to recover in time for the start of the tournament in Germany on June 9.

"End of the World: Injury jinx could rule out Rooney and Owen" said the Sunday Mirror while the Sunday People said simply: "Disaster!"

In the Mail on Sunday under the headline "Rooney's World Falls Apart" Old Trafford manager Sir Alex Ferguson was quoted as saying that the player, expected to be a star of the tournament, was definitely out.

"The boy is absolutely devastated. He was so looking forward to going to Germany. Right now he feels his football world is in pieces but the lad's got a lot of football in him and there will be another time for him," he said.

On its inside pages, former England manager Sir Bobby Robson, wrote that the country's World Cup chances were as good as over without the young striker.

"With Rooney in our team, England were genuine contenders to win the World Cup in my view. Realistically, we are outsiders without him," Robson considered.

Meanwhile, the newspapers were dominated by reflection on the infamous metatarsal bone that was little known among fans until it was sustained by England captain David Beckham before the last World Cup in South Korea and Japan in 2002.

Rooney's name was added to the growing list of England players who have succumbed to the "curse of the metatarsal", complete with diagrams normally only seen in medical textbooks and with commentaries from resident experts.

As speculation began on who might replace him up front, Rooney himself told The Observer what is was like the first time he broke his foot, limping off at the European Championships in Portugal in 2004.

In an interview given last week -- and ironic given Saturday's events -- he said: "It was devastating. It was horrible. You just want to keep yourself fit.

"To see any player get injured and miss the World Cup... that would be horrible. Horrible."

The news that England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and every England fan dreaded came late Saturday in a brief statement from United after Rooney had been checked over by a specialist.

"Wayne Rooney has fractured the base of the fourth metatarsal on the right foot and he will be out for six weeks," said the United statement.

When Rooney fractured the fifth metatarsal on the same foot in the Euro 2004 quarterfinal defeat to Portugal, it was 10 weeks before he played again.

With England's opening World Cup game just six weeks away, national coach Sven-Goran Eriksson faces a major dilemma over the player's selection.

Yet Rooney is such a key figure in an England side widely tipped to challenge for the trophy, Eriksson may deem it a risk worth taking him even though the former Everton star will definitely miss the final two matches of Manchester United's domestic programme and England's pre-tournament friendlies against Hungary and Jamaica.

The importance of a fully fit Rooney playing on the biggest football stage of all was underlined by Chelsea maanger Jose Mourinho who said: "The World Cup needs Rooney."