Wayne Rooney believes Phil Foden is England's best player - not Harry Kane

Wayne Rooney believes Phil Foden is England's best player ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.

Foden, 22, has been in brilliant form for Manchester City this season, scoring eight goals in all competitions - including a stunning hat-trick against Manchester United.

He heads to the World Cup with a tonne of confidence, having excelled at club level under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola.

And Rooney has showered the Man City starlet with huge praise, claiming he's England's best player - not Harry Kane.

The Man United legend referenced Foden's ability to score and create chances as he paid him the ultimate compliment.

Phil Foden celebrates after scoring against Brentford. Image: Alamy

In his column for The Times, Rooney wrote: "The way he has been performing over the past couple of years shows he is England's best player.

"He creates chances, he scores goals. He hasn't quite done it for England - what he does for City - but I think he's got everything you need and that technically and ability-wise he's the best player we've got."

Rooney added: "It's great to have Jack Grealish and James Maddison in reserve. Grealish can come in off the left or the right, and come into the No 10 position so Gareth has options on the bench."

Rooney would have Foden in attack alongside Kane and Bukayo Saka.

Explaining how he would play in his team, the former Three Lions star said: "How would Foden operate in my team? With the right winger [Saka] coming inside, I would keep Foden wide on the left side and get him getting at players, committing players one v one and putting crosses into the box, which he's so good at."

Despite snubbing Kane as England's best player, Rooney spoke highly of the Tottenham forward and expects him to break his international goals record.

"He's the captain, he's the goal scorer and he's the one who is going to make the difference," he said.

"Do I expect him to break my England goals record at this tournament? Yeah, I hope so.

"The sooner the better, really. It would get it off his mind and let him focus on the games."