Wayne Rooney feels that his goal from inside his own half against West Ham is possibly the best he has ever scored in his career.

The former Manchester United man met a clearance from Joe Hart and drilled it first time over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

The strike sealed his first-ever Everton hat-trick in some style, and he could not hide his delight after guiding his side to a thumping 4-0 win against David Moyes’ side.

‘It’s one of, if not the best goal I’ve ever scored,’ he told BT Sport. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever struck a football better in my life. To score my first hat-trick for Everton, I’m delighted.’

Rooney had opened the scoring, heading home a rebound after Joe Hart saved his penalty, before tucking away his second from inside the box.

His third goal put Everton on course for all three points before Ashley Williams sealed it late on, and Rooney said it was a good result after a difficult few weeks.

‘For us as a team it was important to win, the last few weeks have been tough,’ he added. ‘We have been hurting, so it was important today to get a clean sheet first-off, which was long overdue.

‘I’ve practiced many penalties against Hart and I knew he knew where I was going, but I stuck with it and backed myself to still beat him. He’s made a good save, but thankfully it came back to me.

‘It was an important goal, it gave us something to hold on to. In that second half we dug in and got the all-important third goal.

‘We’ll enjoy tonight. First of all, we have to give a lot of thanks to David Unsworth. He stepped in at a difficult time and he tried to steady the ship. I’m delighted for him that we got this victory. It’s important for the club.’

It’s not the first spectacular goal Rooney has scored. His bicycle kick goal for Manchester United against City in 2011 was voted as the best goal of the first 20 years of the Premier League.

-This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za