Manchester United F.C. — Best pictures!

Manchester United’s star forward Wayne Rooney will go into the season opener against newly promoted Birmingham City with a plank of 15 rating points to beat if he wants to remain in the top tier of the FTBL world ranking of strikers.

Chelsea’s France international Nicolas Anelka (pictured) captured the 3rd spot in the FTBL ranking of English Premier League strikers after helping France overcome the Faeroe Islands (1:0) in a World Cup 2010 qualifier Wednesday.

Today’s final in the U-21 European Championship between England and Germany will decide the fate of Arsenal forward Theo Walcott as regards his position in the FTBL Top 23 of English forwards: after spending much of the season in the shadow of leader

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney (pictured) returned in the FTBL Top 23 of forwards thanks to three goals scored against outsiders Kazakhstan and Andorra in Group 6 of the World Cup 2010 qualifiers.

England striker Wayne Rooney (picture right), who remains out of the World Top 23, could return in the elite after England’s World Cup 2010 qualifier against Andorra; his plank to beat in the match amounts to just over 3 rating points.