In a recent episode of Sky Bet’s The Overlap, Wayne Rooney made a controversial pick during his chat with Gary Neville over the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo debate. When asked about the best football player of all time, Rooney said,
“I think Messi, he’s the best ever. I get a lot of stick for saying Messi where it’s as if, ‘How can you say Messi, it’s Ronaldo.’
“I understand that people can say Messi, people can say Ronaldo – they are both incredible, probably the best two players to ever play the game.”
Rooney went on to add,
“For me, Messi has just got that little bit more flare, which I like in a player, so that’s the reason.”
The former Manchester United and England has decided to go against his former teammate when asked about his pick for the best player ever. Rooney opted to go with Messi stating that the Argentine has ‘got that little bit more flare’ which he admires.
Rooney’s comments follow Ronaldo‘s criticism of him during a major tell-all interview with Piers Morgan in 2022. When quizzed about Rooney’s criticism, Ronaldo replied (via Sport Bible),
“It was one year ago, or six months ago. We’re here in my house, he picked up his kids here and he invited (son) Cristiano to go to his house to play football.
“I don’t know why he criticises me so badly…probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level. I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true.”
Ronaldo went on to add,
“They are not my friends, they are colleagues. We played together, they’re not coming here, we’re not having dinner together.”
Rooney went on to reply to Ronaldo’s comments by stating,
“There’s probably not a football player on the planet that isn’t jealous of Cristiano.
“The career he’s had, the trophies he’s won, the money he’s earned, the six-pack, his body. I think every player, bar probably Lionel Messi, is jealous of Cristiano.”
There seems to be some friction developing between the two Manchester United greats over the past few years. Hence, it is no surprise that Rooney chose to go with Messi when it came to settling the best player ever debate.
