Wayne Rooney Insists He Has No Problem With Cristiano Ronaldo: ‘I Love Him’

Wayne Rooney has moved to clear the air on his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, stressing that he holds nothing but admiration for his former Manchester United teammate.

For years, fans have speculated about tension between the two football icons, especially after Rooney openly said Lionel Messi was the better player. But the ex-England captain says the idea that he dislikes Ronaldo is not true.

“People think I hate him [Ronaldo]. I love him. I think he’s an absolute genius and what he’s doing is incredible,” Rooney explained during a conversation on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast.

The pair shared the dressing room at Old Trafford for five years under Sir Alex Ferguson, a period that saw United dominate English football and conquer Europe in 2008. According to Rooney, their bond on and off the pitch was far stronger than many believe.

“I love Cristiano and playing with him. I don’t think people realise, actually, how close me and him were,” he said.

Rooney admitted that his preference for Messi in the long-running “GOAT debate” created an impression of animosity, but he insists that is not the case.

“I think just because I’ve said that I think Messi is better than Ronaldo, people think I don’t like Cristiano. Ronaldo’s a killer and people think because I’ve said Messi is better than Ronaldo, I don’t like him or speak down on him,” Rooney added.

During their time together at United, there was never a reported clash between the two stars. Their only public controversy came at the 2006 World Cup when England faced Portugal.

Ronaldo was accused of influencing the referee’s decision to send off Rooney in that heated quarter-final, but both players later brushed aside the incident and went on to enjoy more success at club level.

Source: Naijanews