Wayne Rooney is England's all-time leading goalscorer
The Everton striker called time on his international career this summer, bowing out as the country’s all-time leading goalscorer with 53 goals.
Rooney also netted 253 goals for Manchester United, overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton to the top of their scoring charts.
However, more recently the 31-year-old has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, as he began a 100-hour community service order two days ago after being charged with drink driving.
Despite his off-the-field actions, ex-boss Eriksson, who took charge of the Three Lions between 2001 and 2006, believes he should still be held in the same esteem as Italian icon Totti.
"The treatment of Wayne Rooney told me something about the way England fans view the national team," the Swede wrote in the Daily Mail.
"He's the record goalscorer for both Manchester United and England: you can't argue with that.
"If Rooney had been Italian, he would have been loved like Francesco Totti was at Roma. You don't criticise Totti in Italy. There might have been reasons to, sometimes, but you don't touch him.
"It isn't like that with Wayne and England but I can tell you that he had to be dragged away from training because he loved to play and practice so much."
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Sven-Goran Eriksson feels the criticism of Wayne Rooney and David Beckham was unfair
Eriksson has also question the treatment of David Beckham, who he feels has also been subject to harsh publicity.
"Was [Rooney] appreciated as he might have been as an England player? Maybe not," Eriksson added.
"You look at the way some of the big English players in the past, like Rooney and David Beckham, have been criticised and you have to ask: 'What do you want these players to be?'"
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