Rooney is best footballer in the world: Ancelotti

London, Feb. 7 (ANI): Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has found an unlikely fan in Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, who has termed the England star as the "best footballer in the world".

"Manchester are using Rooney very well right now. He improves his quality with every game and I am surprised his level never drops. Instead he always improves his performance," News of the World quoted Ancelotti, as saying.

"It's not just good for United but also the national team. To have him in this condition is important for the World Cup. At this moment he is the best in the world," he added.

Ancelotti, who was blown away by the United' performance against Arsenal last Sunday, reckons that his own side needs to sweep aside the tirade of controversy around them to keep up the pace.

Recently, his own skipper's leadership credentials took a major blow following England boss Fabio Capello's decision to strip John Terry of his captaincy on Friday.

While Ancelotti insists his team have remained unperturbed by the storm surrounding Terry, evidence suggests otherwise.

Chelsea rode their luck against Burnley last Saturday and then failed to make the most of their game-in-hand against Hull midweek.

"It was a surprise for me to see so much interest in a player's private life - to see paparazzi and helicopters around the training ground. It is part of life and we will get on with it," Ancelotti admitted. (ANI)