Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney’s glittering football careers began as teenagers together at Manchester United, but their relationship has since become strained. Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are two names synonymous with Manchester United’s final golden era.
careers began as teenagers together at Manchester United, but their relationship has since become strained. Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are two names synonymous with Manchester United’s final golden era
The talented pair of this generation exploded at the same time, when Ronaldo signed with MU from Sporting CP in 2003 and Rooney arrived at Old Trafford a year later from Everton. If there was any doubt as to whether they were reaching their full potential , here is proof.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or in six years at United, while Rooney became the Old Trafford team’s all-time top scorer. This couple won every title at MU under Sir Alex Ferguson, including the Premier League and Champions League.
They have shown unparalleled chemistry during their five seasons together at Old Trafford. The couple’s “party” at the “theater of dreams” ended when Ronaldo left MU to join Real Madrid in 2009.
Their friendship, like many other friendships, also experienced difficulties during that time. The 2006 World Cup quarter-final between England and Portugal erupted into controversy when 20-year-old Rooney stepped on defender Ricardo Carvalho’s groin.
In an attempt to gain an advantage when the match was in a 0-0 balance, Ronaldo ran to pressure the referee and as a result, the referee issued a red card and sent Rooney off the field. That made Rooney angry as he pushed the Portuguese player forward. Meanwhile, Ronaldo “caused a stir in England” by winking at the Portugal bench at the moment Rooney was sent off.
The media continues to speculate whether the quarrel between them will spill over into MU’s dressing room before the 2006 – 2007 season. However, the duo managed to relieve the tense atmosphere in the tunnel immediately after the match, bringing them closer together.
Rooney even told the Sunday Times in April 2020 that he would do the same in Ronaldo’s case: “I then went to see Ronaldo in the tunnel. I felt it was important to talk to Ronaldo.” when everything was still new and having to do it face to face, I said to Ronaldo “I have no problem with you. Have fun and good luck. I will see you in a few days another week and let’s try to win the championship.”
That proved to be true when MU’s two star players together won their first Premier League title the following season, six points ahead of second-placed Chelsea. Their remaining time at Old Trafford was a delight which saw them win two more consecutive Premier League titles and a Champions League.
Rooney and Ronaldo appeared together 205 times at MU, of which Ronaldo assisted Rooney to score 14 goals, and Rooney assisted Ronaldo to score 11 goals. Their relationship was calm for a while until Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford for his second appearance in September 2021.
The move resulted in their sons, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr and Kai Rooney, both playing for the Red Devils U-12 team. But while the two teenagers were having fun together on the field and finding the opponent’s net with ease, the animosity between the two legends was increasing.
Their relationship deteriorated beyond repair when Rooney criticized Ronaldo’s actions during the Portuguese icon’s second season at MU. Rooney did not like the way Ronaldo refused to come on the field while his team lost to Tottenham in October 2022, calling him an “unwanted distraction” at MU.
Wayne Rooney said: “What Cristiano Ronaldo has done since the beginning of the season is unacceptable for Manchester United.” Ronaldo revealed he was “surprised” by Rooney’s comments . Not one to easily let others attack his pride, it was Ronaldo’s turn to respond in a shocking interview with Piers Morgan. Ronaldo seemed to imply that Rooney was jealous of his still flourishing career and good looks.
Ronaldo said in the interview with Piers Morgan that led to the early termination of his contract with MU: “It was a year ago or six months ago. We are at my house, Wayne Rooney picked up the children here and invited my son to his house to play football.
Captain Al Nassr Ronaldo continued: “I don’t know why Wayne Rooney criticized me so harshly, maybe because he ended his career and I’m still playing at a high level.” Then Ronaldo dug deeper, adding: “I’m not going to say I look more handsome than Wayne Rooney, but it’s true.”
Ronaldo emphasized that he no longer considers Rooney or Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville to be friends anymore due to their negative comments about him. Ronaldo said: “They are not my friends, they are colleagues. We play together, they won’t come here, we won’t have dinner together.”
When he was coach of DC United, Wayne Rooney was asked by the media about Ronaldo’s response. Rooney said: “There is probably no football player on this planet who is not jealous of Cristiano Ronaldo. The career he had, the titles he won, the money he earned, his six-pack, his body. I think every player, perhaps Lionel Messi, is jealous of Cristiano Ronaldo.”
The future of soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney and their relationship remains to be seen, but it would be a shame if they don’t patch things up later.
