Rooney draws comparisons with Best

London:

With his bull terrier features, snarling temperament and chunky build, Wayne Rooney is no match for George Best in the glamour stakes. Best, who died Friday after a long fight against alcohol abuse, had the pop star looks and image that had thousands of female fans screaming and swooning wherever he went in the 1960s and 70s. What Rooney lacks in photogenic appeal, however, he more than makes up for with his feet. Like Best, Rooney has the ability to create goals from nothing with mesmeric dribbling and expert finishing. And like Best, he's been doing it at the top level since he was 16. Best scored 180 goals in 465 appearances over 12 years for Manchester United and helped the Red Devils win the 1968 European Cup, as well as two league titles. Getting better Although Rooney has won nothing with the Reds yet, it seems only a matter of time. "Well, he's only 20. Without question, he's the best young player I've seen in my time," said United manager Alex Ferguson, who has been at Old Trafford for 19 years. On the day fans across the country marked Best's death at age 59 with a minute's silence or a standing ovation at Premier League and Football League games, Rooney made his own tribute at West Ham with the ball. He produced a performance Best would have been proud of, taking a pass from Park Ji-sung, weaving past a defender and then shooting through the legs of goalkeeper Roy Carroll. (AP)