He was England's best player in Euro 2004! Have England ever performed in his career at a Euro or World Cup? Messi has never done it at world level either!
What is world class then? Messi and Ronaldo fall under the "Best players in the world" and there is nobody else who stands near them, maybe Suarez. There is then the level below like Ribery, Ibrahimovic, Schweinsteger, Pirlo etc etc . Rooney belongs in the list even if it is based on past seasons. Right now no he isn't but a a point in his career he definitely was!