England coach Gary Neville has dismissed Wayne Rooney's critics after the Manchester United striker became the Three Lions' all-time leading scorer against Switzerland last week.
The United captain scored a second-half penalty to take him above Sir Bobby Charlton and on to 50 goals for his country, but Rooney has scored just once at a World Cup, despite appearing at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 tournaments.
However, Neville has rejected talk that Rooney doesn't deserve credit for becoming England's all-time leading scorer.
"It's a brilliant achievement," Neville told Sky Sports News. "There are great goal scorers [for England], the likes of Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker, Michael Owen over the past 20 to 25 years and for him to do it is a wonderful, wonderful achievement.
"He's taken a bit of criticism this season, but what do people expect? Do you know any 29 or 30-year-old player that's the same as they were when they were 16 or 17? Because I don't, it's impossible.
"Rooney has always delivered in our time and I have to say that he deserves the record for longevity and keeping going over the past 14 years or so. His professionalism is second to none."
Rooney is currently sidelined through injury, and missed out on the squad that travelled to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Paul Gorst
