Why England's Comeback in Germany Means Wayne Rooney's Place Is in Doubt

England's thrilling 3-2 victory over Germany on Saturday in an international friendly provided a few intriguing pieces of insight, from Dele Alli's emergence to the back line's fragility. But the most lasting takeaway from this match might be Wayne Rooney's increasingly tenuous place in this promising, young side.

On this evidence, Rooney should not have a spot reserved in Roy Hodgson's starting lineup. Even if he's fit for UEFA Euro 2016, England appear better off with the players currently in the squad.

Bleacher Report's Karl Matchett shared his insight: 

This shouldn't come as a shock. Though still a good player, Rooney is not the force he once was for both England and Manchester United. In recent times, in fact, United have looked better without Rooney in the lineup—and now the same appears true for the Three Lions.

To be clear, this was not a flawless performance from Hodgson's men. The central defensive pairing of Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling was not nearly strong enough against a solid attacking unit like Germany's. And until the two goals—both of which were tasty strikes, by the way—England's final product in the attacking third was clearly below-standard.

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But there were positives, to be sure. First among them was Dele Alli, the breakout star of the night, who drew rave reviews from all corners for his lively display. The 19-year-old Tottenham Hotspur man appeared comfortable against a top-class international opponent and is increasingly looking like the real deal.

Then there were the goals. In the 61st minute, with England trailing by two goals, Tottenham's Harry Kane controlled the ball in the box, beat a defender with a marvelous Cruyff turn and fired low past Manuel Neuer to give his side a lifeline.

"Everyone needs to stay calm. It is a friendly, but it is a great night for England and shows what a team we are," Kane said, per BBC Sport. "We have to keep coming back, keep doing what we're doing, we have another important game on Tuesday against the Netherlands and go from there."

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Thirteen minutes later, Jamie Vardy one-upped him with a cheeky backheel flick, drawing England level from a Nathaniel Clyne cross. Finally, Eric Dier powered in a towering header in stoppage time to send Hodgson into hysterics along the touchline and complete a memorable comeback.

When emotions settled, one big question remained. Where, oh where, would Rooney fit into this side?

At striker? Not ahead of Kane or even Vardy for that matter.

Out wide? Maybe so, but Hodgson has several options available there as well.

In a withdrawn role behind the centre-forward? Probably not there either following Alli's emergence.

So, then, where does he fit?

Rooney is still an important figure for England, but time waits for no man. At 30, the Manchester United star still has plenty of football ahead of him. But this summer at Euro 2016, his best place for England might be on the bench.