Wayne Rooney is one of England’s all-time greatest soccer players, the 36-year-old is the English national team’s all-time leading scorer and second all-time caps leader. Winner of 16 championships in his career all with Manchester United, Rooney has played under pressure his whole career.
Rooney would eventually take his act to Major League Soccer in the United States and play a short time with DC United until he returned to play and eventually manage Derby County. On Saturday in a black-tie gala in Manchester the former Red Devil had time to poke fun at himself and several of his old ManU teammates.
During the event Cristiano Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, and Carlos Tevez got zinged by Rooney. Here are just some of Wayne’s comments on his former teammates said in jest.
Wayne Rooney jokes about Cristiano Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, and Carlos Tevez
Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
On Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney mocked just how dedicated the Portuguese star is, “Cristiano was so good and so f***ing annoying at the same time. He is probably not as good now, but he is probably just as annoying.” Rooney continued in jest, “He likes diving” when remembering their encounter in the 2006 World Cup.
With big defender Rio Ferdinand, Rooney mentioned Ferdinand’s desire to shine among the stars on the team, “Rio is a top player, but he is just arrogant… You get paid a lot of money at Man United to kick the ball into the net, so just do it. I said: ‘Do your job, and give me the ball, give Ronaldo the ball. Stop standing there messing about.’ Rio is a top lad but he sometimes did forget he was a defender.”
Then with Carlos Tevez , Rooney made mention of the language barrier the two had off the pitch, “For two years I loved playing with him. I used to pick him up from his house for Champions League games and drive him to the airport. We’d play the game and come back. And, honestly, I spoke to him for 30 minutes, and I had no idea what is coming out of his mouth. He is just mumbling. I am not a great speaker and I am thinking, ‘F***ing hell. He is mumbling and nothing, nothing’. “I was devastated, it was the biggest disappointment of my life.”
Rooney told The Sun that his main goal going forward is managing Manchester United, “I want to be Manchester United manager. I know I am not ready now, but I have to plan everything I do to make sure one day it will happen.”
