Thursday 12 November 2015 23:35, UK
Juan Mata believes his Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney deserves respect rather than ridicule.
The 30-year-old has enjoyed a record-breaking start to the season, but becoming England's all-time top scorer has not managed to deflect attention away from some underwhelming displays for his club.
Rooney has scored just twice in the league this season, leading to questions about his starting role from some United fans and pundits - but not from Mata.
Ahead of Spain's friendly with England on Friday, Mata said: "When we speak about Wayne we're speaking about the captain of England and my team Manchester United. He's a very important player. He's scored more goals than anyone in the English national team and at United.
"I know he can play in different positions. At the end it's Roy Hodgson or Louis van Gaal who decides, but obviously if he's close to the box he will score more. I feel very proud to play alongside him in my team and it will be very difficult to face him on Friday."
Mata will not face his Old Trafford colleague from the outset in the contest in Alicante, after Hodgson revealed his plan to rest Rooney and experiment with the England line-up.
Despite the captain's absence, Mata believes England boast more than enough players to threaten.
"Talking to Wayne every day in Manchester, I can tell that he is delighted with England's national team," he said.
"They have youth, desire to win and the capacity to achieve something important - you only need to look at their qualifying campaign in which they won every game.
"It will be a tough test for us and for them to see what level they're at. I believe that England are one of our direct rivals for Euro 2016."
Vicente del Bosque echoed those sentiments, although most of the questions the Spain coach faced revolved around star players such as the out-of-sorts Chelsea striker Diego Costa.
"He's not here because we're obliged to, or because we believe we have a moral obligation," he said. "He's here because he deserves it.
"When a team doesn't work, the players get blamed too. This year Chelsea aren't working well at the moment and this is happening."
