Why Rooney gets my vote over Messi in the shoot-out of the super strikers

By Jermain Defoe

Published 23:02 18/03/10

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They are two fantastic players who leave you running out of superlatives.

But despite Leo Messi's fantastic goals for Barcelona on Wednesday night I'd have to keep Wayne Rooney as the man I believe is the best in the world.

When you talk about dribbling, close control and beating players I'd admit, Leo Messi is the king.

I watched Barcelona's Champions League win over Stuttgart on the TV and Messi was different class with his two goals.

His balance, his desire and his goal ratio are incredible. He has now scored eight of his side's last 11 and 31, just one less than Rooney, in total this season.

Messi always wants the ball - regardless of whatever situation he is in - he always gets it straight back and he always does something special.

He is so similar to Maradona in terms of the way he plays, the way he moves the ball, his touches and his balance.

But, like Messi, Wayne also scores the big goals in the big games - just look at his five against AC Milan over two legs this month.

You also have to give Wayne massive respect for the way in which he has changed his game this season.

From being a provider, a second striker, he is much more ruthless this year. As soon as he gets it, he pops it out wide and his first instinct is to get into the box.

You only have to look at the goal he scored against Arsenal at the Emirates in January as an example.

To have the power and desire to run the length of the pitch after he'd won it deep in his own half and laid it out wide to  Nani just summed up the player Wayne is.

"Even the finish was quality. He still had a lot to do and yet he made it look easy, calculated with just a stroke of the ball.

I dont know whether it was Sir Alex Ferguson who said something to him last summer about changing his game or whether it was something that Wayne himself wanted to  do.

But the big difference in his game is that he is doing now is getting in the best positions to score more often. And because he is so calm in front of goal he is racking them up.

Wayne is also improving the players around him. Look at Nani, for example. He is now not nearly as over-elaborate as he once was.

He is basically playing the early ball, the decisive ball whenever Rooney is in a good position. Look at the Nani's magnificent pass for Wayne's second in the game against AC Milan at Old Trafford and you'll see what I mean.

The debate about the better player between Messi and Rooney will split opinion up and down the country.

But Rooney edges it for me because of the intensity and the tempo of the games in the Premier League.

It is so much more difficult to score goals in the Premier League, which is why you see so many players that have struggled here yet have gone on to fill their boots in La Liga.

People question whether Rooney can maintain his form until the end of the season.

But I remember when I was at Bournemouth as a youngster and I equalled John Aldridge's post-war record of scoring in ten consecutive games.

As the landmark got closer more and more people were talking about whether I could do it. But far from putting pressure on me, I loved it. It gave me more fire in my belly as an added incentive.

You are confident and when you are confident you are not afraid to try things. Conversely when you are going through a bad patch you snatch at shots and take the extra touch.

So I think Wayne will feel sharp and strong right now."

Wayne does it week in week out in a League I believe is the toughest in the world which is why I would go for him above Messi."

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