Maradona: Rooney's the best

Former World Cup winner Diego Maradona says Wayne Rooney is better than Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The Argentinian ace doesn’t believe AC Milan midfielder Kaka should have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, but neither does he think second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo deserved the accolade.

Instead, the Argentina legend reckons Ronaldo’s United team-mate Wayne Rooney has a far stronger claim to the title of best footballer in the world.

“I don’t know too well how the election is done, but I think that Rooney is better than Kaka,” Maradona told El Grafico.

”Milan is a team that depends all the time on Kaka but that doesn’t make him the best player in the world.”

Rooney returned to action on Monday against Fulham after almost a month on the sidelines through injury. His ankle strain suffered in training halted a run of eight goals in seven games.

Ronaldo has since picked up the baton, and with two goals against the Cottagers earlier this week he took his tally to 11 goals in his last seven starts. It is precisely that kind of form that has put him in contention – and again in competition with Kaka and Lionel Messi – for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award, to be announced in Zurich on 17 December.