England manager Roy Hodgson insists Wayne Rooney must keep performing for club and country ahead of Euro 2016.

In a season where he broke Sir Bobby Charlton's 49-goal record to become England's all-time leading goalscorer, Rooney has scored just two goals in 13 Premier League appearances for Manchester United.

And Hodgson, speaking in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, thinks England need their captain in form and leading the line if they are to have any chance of winning Euro 2016 next summer.

England striker Wayne Rooney scored his 50th international goal in 2015

"I thought he handled that [the record] quite brilliantly," Hodgson said.

"Of course it was that penalty that did it. That was an important penalty and I thought it showed how dedicated he is to his profession."

"The most important thing for him as far as I'm concerned is that he's got to keep playing well for Manchester United, playing well for England when we have our games together and that he still leads by example on the field," Hodgson added.

"It doesn't matter how much good work he can do for us off the field in terms of being some sort of mentor for the younger players.

"We really need him being Wayne Rooney on the field scoring goals, making goals and with his drive and commitment leading us forward."

Waiting in the wings should Rooney fail to keep delivering for England are in-form strikers Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy.

Harry Kane has scored three goals in eight appearances for England

Starting with Tottenham striker Kane, Hodgson was impressed with the way the 22-year-old dealt with a barren start to the season following a campaign in which he burst onto the scene with 31 goals in all competitions for his club.

"Harry is a great example of someone who has always believed in his talent and has persevered in that belief and in the work to constantly hone that talent, even though there looked to be a period in his life where he wasn't going to succeed," Hodgson said.

"Of course he had that end to the season and his name was on everybody's lips, not least of all the Tottenham supporters.

"And then I've really been impressed with the way he handled the start of this season too, because people are very quick when someone succeeds like that to want to try to knock them down and then suggest that, if it doesn't start brilliantly next year, well you know they were just one-season wonders or one-game wonders.

"I knew that wasn't true because I know the man's qualities but I'm really delighted for him and of course for his club that he's proved everybody wrong."

Vardy is another player that has caught Hodgson's eye thanks to his form this season, including a run of scoring in 11 successive Premier League matches to beat Ruud van Nistlerooy's record.

Jamie Vardy has scored 15 Premier League goals so far this season

"When he broke into the team, we liked what we saw, not least of all his enormous energy, enthusiasm, work rate and desire," Hodgson said.

"So even when things weren't always going brilliantly for him technically, in terms of scoring goals or making goals, we still thought this was a very interesting player to keep an eye on.

"Then when it started to really gel together for him, it was a pretty simple choice to ask him to come and join us and see how he got on at that level.

"We've now got to hope, in the same way that Harry Kane has established himself not only as a top Premier League player but also as an England player, that Jamie Vardy can do the same thing."

Hodgson wants Vardy to establish himself as an England player

It's not the first time Vardy's performances have caught the England manager's attention as he watched him playing for Fleetwood while in charge of West Brom.

"I can't take full credit there because I went and watched him when I was at West Brom and he was playing for Fleetwood and we didn't sign him," Hodgson said.

"I missed a big opportunity there five or six years ago."