Gary Neville says Wayne Rooney was the best centre forward he ever saw at Manchester United.
Rooney - United 's all-time leading scorer with 253 goals - called time on his illustrious playing career last week after being appointment permanent manager of Derby County.
The 35-year-old had initially joined Derby as player-coach following a spell in the United States with DC United.
However, following the departure of Phillip Cocu, Rooney was installed as caretaker boss - and has now got the job on a full-time basis.
Neville played alongside Rooney for club and country - and says the former Everton striker deserves his place among the Old Trafford - and England - greats.
Asked where Rooney ranks in terms of the greatest English players of all time, Neville told Monday Night Football on Sky Sports: “I’m not going answer the question in terms of relating it to players from the 1950s - Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton.
"I didn’t see these players play, so it’s always difficult to say he ranks alongside Geoff Hurst, or Sir Bobby Charlton, and people like that.
"For me, he was the best centre forward I ever saw at Manchester United, that I ever played with.
"I have him number one, up front, Cristiano Ronaldo alongside him in every single best United team that I played in.
"That’s the highest compliment I can pay him, because I played with Cantona, Hughes, Yorke, Cole, Sheringham, Solskjaer, Berbatov, Tevez - great strikers from all over the world, not just England, and Wayne Rooney would be my number one.
"His contribution to the team at all points of every game was unbelievable - in and out of possession, in the dressing room, the energy, every single morning, he was an absolute livewire, street fighter, tough, he could score and assist goals, best defender, never give in.
"Everything you would want in a football player, it was there.
"To me, the best striker I played with because he just did everything."
