Wayne Rooney, the striker, has reiterated that Lionel Messi, not Cristiano Ronaldo, is the greatest player of all time.
When former teammate Gary Neville questioned Rooney on May 28 during an interview on Sky Sports about who is the “Best Player of All Time,” or “GOAT,” Rooney responded, “I think Messi.” The greatest player ever is you. When I mentioned that, I received a lot of criticism. “Why do you say that, it has to be Ronaldo?” was a common question. The two greatest players ever are those two. But Messi seems more sophisticated to me.”
In the 2009 Champions League final, Barca 2-0 Man Utd at Olimpico Stadium, Italy, Rooney (left) battles Messi for the ball. Picture: PA
From 2004 to 2009, Rooney and Ronaldo were teammates at Manchester United. They shared three Premier League titles and one Champions League victory. Despite his constant appreciation for his former partner, the former English striker insisted that Messi is the best.
The greatest scorer in Manchester United history, Wayne Rooney, met Messi twice while he was still on the field: in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals. Rooney was unsuccessful both times, managing just one goal. Messi, on the other hand, scored in every game as Barca defeated Man Utd 2-0 and 3-1, respectively. Ronaldo participated in the 2009 championship game prior to joining Real Madrid.
Playing with veteran midfielder Zinedine Zidane was one of Rooney’s unfulfilled aspirations. Zidane retired in 2006. Zidane won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2022, the 1998 World Cup, and the Euro 2000 with France. “Messi is the best player of all time, but playing with Zidane would be a great thing,” he stated. “Zidane looks very cool, calm, plays with both feet, scores goals and assists.”
Despite being 39 years old, Ronaldo still leads Al Nassr and the Portuguese national team in scoring consistently. Messi moved to Inter Miami at the age of roughly 37, leaving behind the elite playground in Europe as well. After retiring in 2021, Rooney is taking a stab at coaching. The 38-year-old, well-known athlete just agreed to take the helm of Plymouth, an English first division squad. He has previously held positions at Birmingham City (UK), DC United (USA), and Derby County (UK).
Eight Golden Balls, six European Golden Shoes, and 44 collective titles are records that Messi owns. During the 2022 World Cup, the captain of Argentina not only won the Best Player award but also scored seven goals and provided three assists. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has 32 cumulative titles, four European Golden Shoes, and five Golden Balls.
