AC Milan's trip to Old Trafford this morning was supposed to be a homecoming parade for one time United darling-turned-celebrity football vagabond, David Beckham. In the end it fell as flat as The Spice Girls re-union tour for Mr. Posh Spice.

To quote a great song from up Salford way: "The past is yours, the future's mine". And the future belongs to Wayne Rooney.

I've been saying it for months and now even the doubters are whispering it reluctantly: Wayne Rooney is currently the best player on the planet.

And England's fate at this year's World Cup in South Africa rests squarely and firmly on his shoulders.

The Scouse wunderkind scored twice this morning to send the Italian giants tumbling out of the UEFA Champions League. Given his recent form, perhaps there's nothing surprising about that really. Rooney has scored 30 goals for United this season, including 23 in the Premiership from 27 starts.

He has always been a sublime talent. His first Premier League goal was for his beloved Everton five days before his 17th birthday. It was a strike of such power and precision it left legendary England and Arsenal keeper, David Seaman, looking like football's Mike Gatting, shaking his head in disbelief.

It's been a tumultuous ride since then for Rooney. His transfer to Manchester United had an inevitability about it, a perfect summary of modern football's ruthless market-driven commoditisation.

Tabloid headlines, red cards and injuries have all been part of the journey for Rooney but as he heads into his middle twenties (he's still only 24!) he has became almost the complete player. His growing maturity was evident last year as he played a supporting role to Cristiano Ronaldo as United swept the Premier League and fell just short in the Champions League final to Barcelona. Playing in a variety of roles out wide and dropping deeper into midfield, he still managed 20 goals in all competitions.

With Ronaldo's departure to Real Madrid, Rooney has blossomed into the complete player. Like the AFL's Wayne Carey at his best, he believes in his ability to win games off his own boot. His once fiery temperament has been curbed and his ability to terrorize defences with blistering, bulldozing runs is unparalleled. As an Arsenal FC member, I still wake in a cold sweat remembering how he shredded his way through the Gunners' back four at The Emirates in January.

More than that, his work rate, which was always commendable, is now commensurate with his enormous ability. Rooney is box to box, working hard in his own half, bursting forward, pushing wide, and cutting in with deadly intent. And when he unleashes a shot, it usually with unerring accuracy.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Rooney's old pal, Ronaldo, have genuine claims on the mantle of Best in the World and there's a compelling case for each of them. Whilst both of those players would eclipse Rooney on sheer gob-smacking talent alone, it is Rooney's appetite for the graft and grind required to be a great team player that wins the argument for me.

England boss Fabio Capello knows that those assets are invaluable to him as he tries to end England's 44-year World Cup drought. He knows that if a fit Wayne Rooney can shine at the peak of his powers in South Africa, England's dreaming might become a reality.