Wayne Rooney will have been 'heartbroken' by his decision to retire from international duty, insists Chelsea manager Antonio Conte

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Wayne Rooney seems to be giving the lie to Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's view that he was heartbroken when he ended his England career.

After all, the Everton striker is enjoying a revival this season, scoring 11 times since his return to Goodison Park and hoping to add to that tally when his side welcome the champions on Saturday.

Rooney's resurgence at 32 has coincided with his decision to retire from international football in August, ending his England career with 53 goals, making him this country's all-time leading goalscorer.

Wayne Rooney, pictured with James McCarthy (left), has scored 11 goals so far this season

Yet Conte, who played 20 times for Italy, believes Rooney's decision to quit would have come at a huge emotional cost.

'First of all, we must have great respect for his decision, only the player understands when the moment is arriving to say 'stop' when it comes to playing for the national team,' he said.

'It's not simple to make this decision. I'm sure his heart is a bit broken by this decision. 

'I stopped my career at the age of 35 because I understood that my legs - especially my legs - didn't support me.'

But Rooney will feel he can play a few more seasons before he retires altogether.

Meanwhile, Conte has called for a winter break in England. 'From November, you play every three days until the end of January,' he said. 'The players need a bit of time to recover: one week to recover, and then restart.'

Antonio Conte says Rooney's heart was 'a bit broken' after he retired from international duty