Arsenal legend Ian Wright says Manchester United star Wayne Rooney can be "bracketed" with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi. Though, he admits Rooney needs to ask himself how he can truly reach his potential.
Wright told Absolute Radio: "I think that people are always questioning the top players, he is a top player, and yes, in the tournaments people question his contribution, which is something that Wayne, he's what, still 26? I think he's still got plenty of time to get to a tournament, and show people that he has got what it takes to be one of the greats, because I think that he deserves...with the time he's been in the game, and the pressures he's had to deal with in the public eye from a young age, up to this point, and I think you look back at it, and I think you have to say that he's dealt with it pretty well.
"I think that it's up to him to sit down and say, 'What do I want to be remembered for?'< p> "You know, the Xavis and Iniestas, and the great players in the world, the Pirlo's, they've got the big medals as well as the Champions League one, and the Messi's and that. Though Messi himself, he's another one. Ronaldo. When they finish, yes, they're going to go down as greats, and I think Rooney will as well, but I feel that the real greats, they win the Euro medals, they win the World Cup medals. I think on ability all three of them, Ronaldo, Messi and Rooney, they all should be in that bracket of players who have done that, and that is how you become truly great.
"And I think Wayne Rooney has got to sit down and have that kind of... go inside himself and find that player who wants to achieve that, because he's got everything, he doesn't need to work again for the rest of his life. If he stopped now he'd still be regarded as a great player, but for his own personal satisfaction he can go down as a real great if he can really get it together in one of these tournaments."
Listen to Ian Wright on Absolute Radio Rock n' Roll Football on 1215AM from 5pm. For more, visit absoluteradio.co.uk/football.
