The Lionel Messi–Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry keeps being a topic of debate, even as the stars are both in the twilight of their careers. Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney is one of the latest personalities to chime in, but this time, from a very particular view: how was better than him when they were younger?
Playing a game of ‘stay silent’ with talkSPORT, Rooney was asked to “stay silent until you hear of a player who was more talented in his youth than Wayne Rooney.” Rooney was quiet when Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and even Ronaldo, his former teammate, were mentioned.
“That’s big, you know,” the presenter said after he didn’t say anything when Ronaldo was mentioned. However, he broke silence when Messi was brought up. “Yeah, I’d say Messi,” admitted Rooney.
It’s not the first time that Rooney has chosen Messi over Ronaldo. When the Argentine star signed with Inter Miami, he said that he was “arguably the best player to ever grace the field. His competitive spirit and talent will undoubtedly aid Miami in climbing the ranks.”
However, his preference is still somewhat surprising considering that he shared five seasons with Ronaldo in Manchester United. Their partnership ended when Ronaldo left United to join Real Madrid in 2009.
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Messi and Ronaldo keep making history
Although Messi and Ronaldo are nearing the end of their careers, they remain at the forefront of debates over who is the greatest of all time. Their continued success in the United States and Saudi Arabia, respectively, keeps the conversation alive.
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Messi recently secured the Supporters’ Shield with Inter Miami, marking a first for the club, and he will soon have a shot at competing for the MLS Championship in the upcoming playoffs. Meanwhile, Ronaldo continues to add to his scoring tally, which now stands at 905 career goals.
