Serravalle (San Marino): England football team captain Wayne Rooney believes that current Argentina skipper Lionel Messi is a better player than the legendary Diego Maradona.

"Up to a couple of years ago, people were saying Messi wasn't Maradona because he hadn't won the World Cup. In my mind, Messi is a better player than Maradona. But that's how football is," Rooney was quoted as saying by goal.com on Friday.