Big names try to persuade FIFA of England's passion

Webb welcomed the six-man FIFA team to the City of Manchester Stadium before Rooney and Ferdinand joined Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton to guide them around Old Trafford - both stadiums are proposed 2018 World Cup venues - on the penultimate day of their visit.

Rooney, an official bid ambassador, said: "I believe we would be fantastic hosts. I'm hoping I'll still be at the top of my game in 2018 and would love to play World Cup football in front of a home crowd.

"It would be my last World Cup, probably, my last opportunity to play in a World Cup, and there would be no better place to be than in England but it still seems a long way away.

"I saw Euro 96 and that was brilliant to watch and hopefully we can do better in 2018 and I can be a part of it."

England skipper Ferdinand stressed the multi-cultural nature of the bid, adding: "I hope we are successful so the best players and teams from around the world can bring their supporters with them for one big festival of football.

"We have just about every culture represented here in Manchester so I can guarantee they would get a warm welcome."

Charlton was part of England's last bid, the unsuccessful campaign for the 2006 tournament, and he admitted the prospect of World Cup matches at Old Trafford would be emotional.

He said: "I was pleased we were able to bring the inspectors to see a ground which has produced so many great moments.

"When I walk on the pitch and think of the generations of fans that have been here through the years, cheering on some of the best players the world has ever seen, it is hard not to get emotional. Games at this ground have inspired people all over the world for generations and I would love to see World Cup matches played here in 2018 so it can inspire even more."

Webb said his experiences in South Africa had made him realise how special it would be to bring the World Cup to England.

The Yorkshire referee said: "We spent six weeks in South Africa and the World Cup was embraced by the whole nation - everywhere you went there were banners and flags. Here in England there is such a passion for the game, we have packed stadiums and a great atmosphere.

"I know people who make an annual pilgrimage from abroad to watch a Premier League match.

"To have the ultimate tournament here would be a really positive thing and would leave a big legacy."

Earlier, the FIFA inspectors visited Sunderland's Stadium of Light and Newcastle's St James' Park before flying to Manchester by helicopter.

Afterwards, Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn said: "The passion for it hopefully will be paramount in their (the inspectors') minds when they sit down and write their reports and they say, ‘Hey, do you know something, those people up in the north-east, they wanted this so badly, they prepared and they ticked the right boxes'.