Wayne Rooney has become the latest England player to be criticised by Mario Balotelli. The Manchester City striker previously claimed he had never heard of Jack Wilshere when the Arsenal midfielder finished runner-up to the Italian in a poll of Europe's best young players.

Now Balotelli has set his sights on his city rival Rooney. "He [Rooney] is a very good player but not the best [striker] in Manchester," said Balotelli.

The 20-year-old also claimed that he is as popular with Manchester United fans as he is with City's. "Do United fans insult me? No, they stop me in the street and say: 'Mario, come to us'. But I dream of beating them because I know how much the City fans care, they are wonderful with me."

The Italian, who is sidelined by a knee injury that may require an operation, claimed that Manchester City have a strike force that is the envy of every other club in Europe.

"Our attack of Balotelli-Tevez-Dzeko is the best in the world," Balotelli told Extra Time. "We are the strongest. Better even than Barcelona and Real Madrid."

Balotelli also aimed a jibe at his former Internazionale manager José Mourinho who, he believes, lacks the man-management skills of his current Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini.

"[Mourinho] is the best coach in the world, but as a man he still has to learn manners and respect," Balotelli said. "[Mancini] is the most important coach I've ever had. He'll soon become the No1 in the world. But already now, in terms of human qualities, he is two kilometres ahead of Mourinho, wait, make that 10 kilometres.

"He continually repeats to me: 'When I joined Sampdoria from Bologna [early in his career] I already felt I was the best of all. Then I realised how hard I had to work to improve.' I've got the message."

Balotelli was also critical of Rafael Benítez, who succeeded Mourinho at San Siro last summer before being dismissed last month. "He just told me: 'You come after Milito, Eto'o and Pandev, fourth-choice striker.' I said: 'That's it, ciao.'"