Sir Alex Ferguson has sensed Rooney moving to a new level over the last couple of months.

Certainly the England striker's goals output has gone through the roof.

Now on 27 for the season ahead of tomorrow's Carling Cup final at Wembley, it would be no surprise if Rooney matched Cristiano Ronaldo's phenomenal 42-goal contribution to the 2008 Champions League-winning campaign.

Indeed, it now appears beyond question that Rooney deserves to be ranked alongside Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kaka, widely assumed to be the best three players on the planet at present.

In each of those three stellar talents, Capello can isolate a particular talent.

Yet when he speaks of Rooney, the overall package seems to be far greater.

"Messi dribbles and has imagination, observed Capello.

"Ronaldo is fast and shoots from long distance. They play wide. Kaka has to arrive in the area from midfield.

"Rooney is different in style. He is a centre-forward.

"He can play alone in attack. He holds the ball very well. He dribbles. He can shoot from long distance. He can score goals with his head.

"But there is another difference between these players and Rooney. He presses a lot. He runs a lot. The others don't do that. It is a big difference."

There is a tendency within these islands to look down on our own, to somehow believe those stylish players from overseas are better than the true Brits. Is it really possible for the most influential player on the planet to hail from a Croxteth housing estate?

Part of that is down to perception, part, certainly in Ronaldo's case, to glamour.

As an Italian, Capello has no need to be distracted by such subtleties, and neither does the posse of top-line coaches he mingles with.

And, ask the bosses of Italy and Spain, and the Republic of Ireland for that matter, which player they would want in their squad above anyone else in South Africa this summer and the verdict is unanimous. Rooney.

"When I met Lippi, or Trappatoni or Del Bosque, they all tell me I have one fantastic player," said Capello.

"Every manager thinks he is one of the best in the world. They always ask me about Rooney."

The improvement from a player Capello had enough trust in to name captain for the most recent England game, a friendly defeat to Brazil in Qatar last November, has come from listening to managers with both club and country.

Once Ronaldo's Old Trafford exit was confirmed, Ferguson released Rooney into the middle with a simple order; stay in the box. Capello had offered the same advice months before.

The results have been staggering as goal after goal has rained down on opposition at home and abroad.

"Rooney is in fantastic form," said Capello.

"He is really important for Manchester United and he is really important for us.

"He has improved a lot this season because he is always in front of the goal.

"Every pass is really good. His movement without the ball is excellent. His confidence is really high.

"Without doubt, he is now one of the best players in the world."