Wayne Rooney

[Anon]

I see your Kleberson and raise you with a Sean Wright Phillips with 36 caps

That's a tough one to beat. There are plenty of fairly average Brazilians, just none quite so bad as Shaun Wright Phillips. But then, maybe Brazil don't have player's fathers as pundits claiming the national team coach is racist for not picking their boys.

Mineiro - 24 caps

Julio Baptista - 47 caps

Wagner Love - 20 caps

Cris - 27 caps

Gilberto (crap Spurs one) - 35 caps

Jo - 20 caps

[Alph]

I like Rooney.

Think its harsh to criticise him for not scoring in major tournaments. Last I saw England they can't even decide what system or style they want to develop. Plus he plays with ***** like Walcott doesn't he? Is he a striker? Is he winger? No, he's in the wrong sport

Comparing him with Neymar... how does that prove he isn't world class? Neymar is a superb player and a huge player in world football. Name world class forwards. There will be a few that are comfortably ahead of Rooney but you'll soon run out. Within 10 players easily I'd imagine. 

Nobody has gifted him this record and if anyone wants to take it then it's there to be broken. 

[Alph]

The fact that the players being used to put Rooney down are players like Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and Neymar sort of highlights how good he is and has been.

If I said Shackell is the best defender in England would you be putting Kompany and Cahill forward to counter me? No, you would use a list of about 20-30 defenders. Making Shackell one of the best 40 defenders in England. 

With Rooney we've got Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Ronaldo... lemme guess who's next? Aguero? I bet it won't be Benteke, Balotelli, Lewandowski, Van Persie, Higuain, Samaras, Giroud... etc. 

He beats many many forwards at either club level, national level or both. 

[-JW-]

Been world class sh*te tonite 

[Alph]

What's he had to work with? He's not been good but he's the best forward threat so far. 

That's how good the others have been

[Tombo]

He's just standing there because he's so desperate to score, he daren't leave the defensive line. Not contributing to the team at all tonight. Needs to relax, the 50th goal will come eventually. He's so desperate to score right now that he's actually forgetting that you need to make chances to score goals.

[G STAR RAM]

This is the problem we have in england, we think our players are great when they're not and when they ultimately fail they end up getting criticized. We need to lower our expectations 

Another problem we have is that players are not busting a gut to play for England because they know there are so many self proclaimed experts out there desparate for England to fail.

[TigerTedd]

Rooney hasn't performed well in the premier league, champions league or internationally for years. I really can't understand why people still think he is world class. Right it's clear that we aren't getting anywhere with this argument because we aren't going to change each other's minds or opinions.

Didn't he just score a hattrick in the champions league, and scored in 6 consecutive European qualifiers?

[TigerTedd]

The fact that the players being used to put Rooney down are players like Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and Neymar sort of highlights how good he is and has been.

If I said Shackell is the best defender in England would you be putting Kompany and Cahill forward to counter me? No, you would use a list of about 20-30 defenders. Making Shackell one of the best 40 defenders in England. 

With Rooney we've got Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Ronaldo... lemme guess who's next? Aguero? I bet it won't be Benteke, Balotelli, Lewandowski, Van Persie, Higuain, Samaras, Giroud... etc. 

He beats many many forwards at either club level, national level or both. 

precisely. The question isn't whether or not he's better than Messi. He's not better than Messi, there you go, that's that argument sorted. The original question / statement was that he's world class. And you certainly wouldn't kick him out of your team, he's definitely up there. He's faded a bit in the past few years, but that will happen to Messi and Ronaldo one day too. So then I guess it depends on your definition: is he world class right this moment, or can he be counted as world class when compared with the best over the span of his career (which is far from over). For me, the definition is the latter, and the answer is yes. 

[MuespachRam]

I'm waiting until Muespach says 'Rooney's the best England striker ever. FACT'. 

well... He is. 

[Uptherams]

I used Neymar as a quick example as to what world class at international level is. You can all obsess over Messi and Ronaldo and anyone else playing today. But broaden the field. The type of world class players that were still playing international football when Rooney was. Ronaldo and David Villa. Why stop at strikers. Rivaldo and Zidane. These are players who are in a bracket of their own. World Class international players. The whole point of world class is that there isn't many of you about over the course of a generation. 

There are strikers, many who have retired less than 5 years ago that are ahead of Rooney that many would not automatically call world class. Henry, Figo,  Inzaghi, Raul, Klose, 

In the Champions League and at international tournaments Rooney has not done enough for me to be classified as world class. 

This by no means implies he is **** or that people like me are desperate for England to fail. It's reality. Don't use your national bias people. I wouldn't yet call Aguero world class. Is Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, was Patrick Kluivert and Bergkamp, is Van Persie. When we really look at it there are so many players over the last 12 years that we easily forget. That were/ are just as good as Rooney. When people begin to remember the players that are still playing or have played since Rooney made his 1st international appearance then it becomes more apparant that he isn't world class. 

[Curtains]

Come on Wayne 

[Curtains]

Yesss

[Curtains]

You beauty 50 .

[Uptherams]

Congratulations Rooney!!!

[TigerTedd]

They've al been penalties, so it doesn't really count. My gran can score penalties against Andorra. 

[Curtains]

Scored in last 7 qualifiers and that's another record Wayne. 

[mozza]

Well done Wayne !!

i'd be interested to know who the England Top Scorer is , discounting penalty's tho ..

[Curtains]

Thank you Sterling 

[Kernow]

Not sure why people can't be happy for him, regardless of opponents, he still has to score. You can make arguments about who's been better, Lineker, Charlton or whatever, but they all played in England sides more successful than this current side. There's been constant pressure on Rooney since he was 17 and a lot of players could easily have crumbled.

Now he's the all time scorer it's not congratulating him for it, it's arguing about him only scoring against weaker sides or how many would he have without penalties etc, who cares? We've all witnessed a piece of English footballing history that should stand for many, many years to come. Well done Wayne.