The 20-year-old is in full training after recovering from a broken foot but had not been expected to play until being cleared by independent experts.

But BBC Sport understands the striker may play a part on Thursday - if boss Sven-Goran Eriksson feels he is ready.

And as yet there are no plans for independent medical assessors to fly out to England's base on Friday.

Professors Angus Wallace and Chris Moran are experts from the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham and examined Rooney before he returned to England's World Cup camp.

Eriksson, however, has insisted he, in consultation with Rooney, would have the final say on his match fitness.

Rooney was his usual exuberant self in training on Tuesday morning and team-mate Rio Ferdinand said the Manchester United's striker is "desperate" to get back into action.

The chances of Rooney figuring against Trinidad and Tobago are still limited but it is clear he is certainly still in Eriksson's thinking for the game.

Eriksson will no doubt hope that he will not have to use Rooney as early as the Trinidad game, with a cameo against Sweden the more likely prospect.

But the use of Rooney as an option in the remaining two group games is still being left open by the Swede.

Rooney looked in good shape as he joined his England team-mates for training in Buhlertal on Tuesday.

He has been training hard in recent days and is expected to play a full part in Tuesday's session.

He was joined in England's warm-up by 17-year-old Theo Walcott, who limped out of training on Sunday after taking a kick on the calf from Rooney.

Eriksson had a full complement of 23 players on the training pitch on Tuesday.

Rooney has not played since breaking his foot against Chelsea on 29 April but BBC Five Live Sport World Cup correspondent Jonathan Legard said the striker's eagerness to play was clear to all the England players.

"Rooney is difficult to hold back, according to Peter Crouch. He wants to play all the time," said Legard.

"It's how Sven-Goran Eriksson handles this driven mentality - which is very different to Michael Owen - which will decide England's World Cup prospects.

"Owen needs matches, Rooney needs matches and England need both players."

England know that victory over Trinidad and Tobago in Nuremberg will guarantee their place in the second round of the tournament.