Peter Crouch has claimed that former international teammate Wayne Rooney has been "under-appreciated" for his achievements with England and Manchester United.
The 31-year-old striker fell out of favour for both club and country last season, finding himself as a bit-part figure for United and left out of the Three Lions' most recent squad entirely.
Rooney's future remains undecided, with offers reportedly on the table from Everton and Chinese Super League clubs, but Crouch believes that the ageing forward deserves more praise for his impressive scoring record over the past 15 years.
"When you look back at Wayne Rooney's career I think maybe he's been a bit under-appreciated," he is quoted as saying by Yahoo! Sport. "He's Man United's record goalscorer - what a club that is to be record goalscorer of - he's England's record goalscorer.
"Not just that, his natural ability. I remember when he burst on the scene when he was a 16, 17 year-old. He's had an incredible career and is one of the best players England has ever produced. I think there will come a time when we look back and remember just how much he has done in the game."
As well as topping the all-time scoring charts for England and United, Rooney has also won five league titles, four League Cups, the Champions League, the Europa League and the FA Cup.
Daniel Lewis
