Charlton: Owen can beat me

Charlton (with World Cup) played 106 times for England

Sir Bobby Charlton is backing Michael Owen to surpass his 31-year record of 49 goals for England.

Charlton, a survivor of the 1958 Munich air disaster, helped England to win the World Cup in 1966 and United the European Cup two years later.

He said there was nobody more appropriate than Owen to eclipse his own mark.

"At my age, I don't mind if someone can break my record," Charlton, 63, told The Mirror newspaper on Friday.

Michael is a superb goalcorer - something I never was

Bobby Charlton

"I would like nobody better than Michael Owen to do so. He's not just a great goalscorer. He's a scorer of very important goals."

Charlton scored 49 times in 106 matches for England - a rate of a goal every 2.16 games - while Owen has scored 14 goals in 32 games, one every 2.28.

However, at the same stage of his England career, Charlton had scored 22 goals in 32 internationals.

Gary Lineker is second in the England standings with 48 goals in 80 games while Jimmy Greaves is third with 44 in 57.

Owen has plenty of time in which to break the record

Owen, 21, scored a hat-trick for England in their 5-1 triumph over Germany in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

He then opened the scoring in the 2-0 defeat of Albania on Wednesday.

Charlton said he first noticed Owen when the Liverpool striker was a rising star in the Anfield youth team.

"I first saw him in a youth cup tie in Liverpool when I thought Manchester United had an unbeatable team, but he scored a hat-trick and beat us 3-2.

"He has an unbelievable opportunity to go on and perform wonders in the game. He is a superb goalscorer - something I never was."

But Charlton stopped short of comparing the present England team to the 1966 World Cup-winning side.

"The current team hasn't done anything yet," he said. "Let's wait until it does."