Cristiano Ronaldo brands Wayne Rooney a 'rat' during interview with Piers Morgan

Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to call former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney a rat during his interview with Piers Morgan.

Whilst on the subject of money and fame, Morgan asked: “More pounds in the bank or more Instagram followers?”

Morgan then said: “I’m just trying to work out how Wayne Rooney could hate you even more!”

Ronaldo then replied: “Not only him, imagine the rest of the rats they are going to criticise me too, but it is good to still be the number one.”

He told Morgan: “It's difficult to tell right now, it’s because, we, my mood is right now to The World Cup. It's probably my last World Cup, of course, my fifth World Cup. I don't know what's gonna happen after the World Cup, but as I told you before, and I will say again, the fans will be always in my heart.

“And I hope they been in my side, even if I back, or if I'm not back, or if I stay or whatever. Nobody's perfect. Episodes in the life we all have is part of human beings, is part of me to be a human being and father as well. I always will commit mistakes.

“But I don't know, it's hard to tell right now what's going to happen to World Cup because my focus is for the World Cup, for the Portugal national team.”

The Portugal captain also touched on the optimism he has ahead of the tournament in Qatar.

Ronaldo added: “I am very optimistic. We have a fantastic coach, we have a good generation of football players. I'm looking forward that we're going to it an amazing World Cup… [It’s] gonna be tough. Extremely difficult. But everything is possible. But of course, we're gonna compete.”