Wayne Rooney, the former captain of Manchester United, has closed the rumors of his hatred towards Cristiano Ronaldo. He described his former colleague as a genius and stated that he has never hated him.
In the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Rooney recalled the best days they had together at Old Trafford, where they won three Premier Leagues and a Champions League between 2004 and 2009.
The duo had a notoriously bitter relationship during the 2006 World Cup, during which Ronaldo was said to have influenced Rooney to take a red card in the quarter-final between England and Portugal.
Nevertheless, in spite of that tension, Rooney claimed that he never stopped admiring the Portuguese forward. People constantly discuss that event, but I have nothing but love for him, as Rooney said. “He’s a genius on the pitch.”
Rooney was questioned about the current GOAT debate between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and confessed that he could not decide: “One cannot separate them. They are both once-in-a-generation players.
Rooney and Ronaldo were among the most feared attacking partnerships in the Premier League’s history under Sir Alex Ferguson, and they play a key role in Rooney’s latest talks about the respect that still stands between the two greatest iconic players in football history.
