Rooney speaks the truth about his relationship with Ronaldo

Rooney used to play for Manchester United, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

On the Rio Meets program with Rio Ferdinand, former England striker Wayne Rooney affirmed: “I love Cristiano. People think I hate him, but I don’t. Ronaldo is a genius and what he does is extraordinary.”

Rooney and Ronaldo were once a formidable duo under Sir Alex Ferguson. However, since Ronaldo’s shocking interview with Piers Morgan in 2022, many have speculated that the relationship between the two stars has broken down. At that time, CR7 responded to Rooney’s comments by calling him a “rat” and hinting at jealousy.

However, Rooney this time affirmed that those misunderstandings do not reflect his true feelings: "I don't think people understand how close we were. In the last three seasons, Ronaldo has been the top scorer in Saudi Arabia. I really admire him and cannot say a bad word about him."

Rooney also did not avoid choosing Lionel Messi as a better player than Ronaldo many times. He explained: “I love Messi, I love watching him play. The only reason I say Messi is better is because he has something a little more flamboyant in his playing style, his ability to dribble, his creativity. Ronaldo is a killer in front of goal. Saying Messi is better does not mean I put Ronaldo down.”

At the age of 40, Ronaldo still makes Rooney take his hat off.

In particular, Rooney also admitted that it was his recent performances that changed his perspective: "Honestly, over the past few years, I think when I look back, Ronaldo will probably be the one who is remembered the most."

At the age of 40, Ronaldo still proves his class. In the first 5 matches of the 2025/26 season for Al Nassr, the Portuguese superstar has scored 4 goals and had 1 assist, showing that he still retains his scoring instinct.

Rooney's public statement not only ended speculations about personal conflicts, but also emphasized his respect for Ronaldo - the teammate who conquered the top with him at Old Trafford. For Rooney, that friendship has never faded, it is just sometimes misunderstood due to the endless comparisons between the two legends of contemporary football.

Source: https://znews.vn/rooney-noi-ro-su-that-ve-moi-quan-he-voi-ronaldo-post1588075.html