Lionel Messi is better than Diego Maradona, claims Wayne Rooney

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney believes Argentina superstar Lionel Messi is a 'better player' than Diego Maradona. 

The Manchester United forward is also closing in on Charlton's United scoring record and needs 17 goals to become the club's outright leading scorer.

But though he admitted last year that his achievements with England will not match up to Charlton's until he wins a major tournament, he believes that an emphasis on silverware can sometimes be misleading.

Diego Maradona is often classed as better than Lionel Messi because he has won the World Cup. But Manchester United star Rooney insists that Messi is better - and he still dreams of emulating Charlton by winning the World Cup.

Rooney said: “Up to a couple of years ago, people were saying Messi wasn’t Maradona because he hadn’t won the World Cup. In my mind, Messi is a better player than Maradona. But that’s how football is.

“It’s about trophies you win. As a team, that’s how you’re judged. Sir Bobby did that. Hopefully there’s still time for me to be successful like that.”

Rooney has asked for Charlton to make his record-breaking goal presentation should he reach 50 goals.

The FA will not make any potential presentation at Tuesday’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Switzerland as they do not want to appear presumptuous and will delay it until next month’s game with Estonia at Wembley.

It is understood the FA will ask Charlton and Gary Lineker to be involved in the presentation when it comes. They have yet to decide how to honour him but it seems likely to be a commemorative cap or plaque to mark the record.