Former Bayern Munich and Real Madrid star Paul Breitner says Manchester United star Wayne Rooney can be regarded among the game's elite.

The World Cup winner says Rooney enjoys a great reputation beyond England.

"You have so many outstanding players in your team and in your squad but, of course, if you talk right now about the players of Manchester United then, in Europe and in world football, the number one is Wayne Rooney," Breitner told ManUtd.com.

"If you have a player at the level of [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Lionel] Messi or [Franck] Ribery for instance, you are always thinking of him, Wayne Rooney, [as well] because he is for many, many football fans and hundreds of millions of people, he is Manchester United. He is apart from the other great players you have. He is a man who embodies all the history of the club."