Torres: LFC man can be star of SA

Fernando Torres is backing Steven Gerrard to be the outstanding player of this summer's World Cup.

Torres believes his Anfield teammate will demonstrate exactly why he is regarded by many to be the most complete footballer on the planet as he leads the Three Lions' trophy charge in South Africa.

"I can see Stevie being the player of the World Cup, not just for England but at the tournament," said the Spaniard.

"He will be more disappointed than anyone at Liverpool's season and he will want to end the campaign on a high.

"He is the most complete central midfield player in the world and on his day he is still the best player in the world. He is a player any manager would be lucky to build a team around."

Torres added: "Cesc Fabregas can also shine this summer. I have seen him this season and he is just unbelievable.

"All eyes will be on Messi going into the tournament but eyes should very much be on Stevie and Wayne Rooney as well."

Torres recognises England will pose a stern threat to Spain's hopes of lifting the World Cup - though he admits he is already dreaming of a final between the two nations.

"If England can overcome their mental barrier then Spain v England would be the perfect World Cup final," said the 26-year-old.

"People say that Spain have the best starting XI in the world but when you look at England on paper, they have the second strongest XI in the world.

"Stevie Gerrard is the greatest central midfielder on the planet and Wayne Rooney is one of the in-form players in football along with Lionel Messi."

In order for England to get that far, however, Torres believes Fabio Capello's men must overcome a mental barrier of being eliminated from major tournaments at the quarter-final stage.

He pinpoints Spain's success at Euro 2008 as what progressing beyond the last eight can do for a team's mentality.

"It's hard to see a weakness in the England team. All they need to do now is break the mental barrier that going out at the quarter-final stage creates," said Torres.

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"It doesn't matter how strong your starting XI is, when you get used to going out in the second round or quarter-finals it's very hard to break that cycle, even when you are the superior team.

"Look at the teams Spain have had over the past 10 to 20 years, but it was only two years ago we got past the quarter-finals and once we did that we won the thing.

"When you constantly go out at that stage you start to believe you can't progress further and when you get into that frame of mind you have to break it mentally."

Torres was the hero as Spain ended their 44-year wait for a trophy, with the Liverpool striker netting the only goal of the game in the final triumph over Germany.

Two years on, El Nino remains hungry for more international glory.

He said: "I believe Spain will win the tournament. That is the belief that the Euros gave us.

"The problem with winning a big tournament like the Euros is that you get to understand what it feels like and then you just crave more and more of that feeling. I know what it feels like to win now and I want that feeling again in South Africa.

"If England break that then they are the second best team in the World Cup and for the pure football fan it would be a perfect World Cup final.

"England v Spain would be the best 22 players on the pitch that the tournament could hope for."