Wayne Rooney might have broken England's top goalscorer record with 50 goals but that does not mean he measures up to Bobby Charlton according to John Giles.
Charlton's 49-goal record had stood for 45 years until Tuesday night when Rooney netted a penalty against Switzerland but speaking on Off The Ball tonight, John believes the feat means Rooney surpasses the Manchester United legend.
"I don't think it puts him on a par with Bobby Charlton and I don't want to sound like an old guy that 'everything was great in my day' because I've kept up to date with the football. I think Rooney has great ability but I'd love to see the fixtures in relation. You see, in Bobby Charlton's time you didn't have Lithuania, we didn't have Gibraltar and Bobby was a genuine midfield player - and he did it at the important times," said John, who briefly played alongside Charlton at Man United from the late '50s to the early '60s.
He cited Charlton's achievements in the old European Cup and World Cup, although he added that the England legend was not "enjoyable" to play with.
"I've a lot of time for Rooney but I don't think Rooney has really pushed himself on to be one of the great players. Nowadays you have to compare the great players to Messi. I think Messi's attitude is much better than Rooney's," he added.
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