Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Wayne Rooney is simply fantastic

27 November 2016 - 02:00 By bbc.com

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney is "the perfect player" and deserves more respect, after the England captain broke the club's European goalscoring record in a 4-0 win over Feyenoord. Rooney, 31, scored his 39th European goal as United won to ensure that a point in their final group game at Zorya Luhansk will take them into the last 32 of the Europa League.It comes after Rooney, who is one goal away from matching Bobby Charlton's club record of 249 goals, defended himself following criticism of his conduct while on England duty."He is a fantastic person," Ibrahimovic, who assisted Rooney's opener, said. "I am happy he broke the record. But I will help him to go one more. That I see as the real record."story_article_left1Rooney apologised last week for "inappropriate" pictures of him at a wedding at the national team's hotel during the international break.But later he said the reporting showed "a lack of respect", adding: "It feels as if the media are trying to write my obituary."He was annoyed to be asked about it again after the Feyenoord match, saying: "All that's created by people like yourself asking questions, making a big deal out of nothing."I didn't set foot in the wedding and it's a shame to have to speak about it on nights like this."Ibrahimovic said: "I think when you are famous like that, people are interested. They want to know everything."We should appreciate him for the player he is, what he did. I don't see many players from England who have had the same career as him. They should show more respect for him. Everybody wants to make a little thing a big thing."Manager José Mourinho said: "People like him don't need to answer any more, just enjoy a few more years of his career and playing the best he can."..

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