As for the effect on team morale, Gerrard said: "It definitely gives us a massive lift.

"He's our key player and he's our best player. So you know he helps our chances of going all the way in the tournament, definitely."

Rooney, showing no ill-effects from Wednesday's round trip to Manchester, had earlier limbered up with his team mates at a sunlit training ground near their Baden-Baden hotel.

Though it was closed to the media after 15 minutes, Gerrard later told a news conference Rooney played a full part in the session.

Rooney had previously been continuing his rehabilitation separately from the rest of the squad -- running, turning and spraying long passes across the training pitch.