Cristiano Ronaldo was in no doubt when naming the one English player who would’ve thrived in La Liga during his time at Real Madrid – and it’s not Steven Gerrard.
Ronaldo, 40, is one of the most respected footballers of all time, and when he speaks, fans, media, and players take notice.
Now into his fifth decade, the Portugal international is playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
However, back in 2009, he made the move from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a then-world-record deal worth €94 million (£80 million).
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That summer, Los Blancos also signed Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, just to name a few of the recruits welcomed by then-manager Manuel Pellegrini.
And despite Alonso and Benzema, in particular, going on to have successful careers at Madrid, Ronaldo explained how he wanted an English player to follow him to the Santiago Bernabeu.
You may be thinking the player in question was Ronaldo’s ex-Man Utd teammate Paul Scholes, given the fact that the Portuguese described him as the “best I’ve played with” before explaining how Scholes “helped” him a lot during their time together at the Red Devils.
However, Ronaldo claimed Wayne Rooney “would be a sensation out here [in La Liga]” back in 2009.
"He would be brilliant if he came,” Ronaldo said. “This is the ideal place for the world's best players, and there's little doubt he is one of them."
“Wayne has all the skill and determination you need to make a fine career here,” he added.
"He has shown just how good he is over the last few years in England.
"And there's no doubt he would be the same sort of player in Spain. It would be lovely to see him here one day at Real Madrid.
“I realise it would take a lot for him to move from England.
"He loves the country; he loves Manchester, and he is a Liverpool boy. And United is a good club for him. But you never know what could happen in the future."
And it was not just Ronaldo who offered such kind words. Lionel Messi also explained how Rooney was a “once-in-a-generation player”, when speaking in 2015.
Wayne Rooney on relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo
Of course, Rooney and Ronaldo famously came to blows during the 2006 World Cup quarter-final clash between Portugal and England in Germany.
With the scores at 0-0, Rooney appeared to stamp on Portugal centre-back Ricardo Carvalho before referee Horacio Marcelo Elizondo sent off the England forward.
In the moments that followed, Ronaldo applauded the decision to the dismay of Rooney before the Portugal man winked towards him. Given the fact they were United teammates at the time, fans were left questioning how the pair's relationship would be repaired after the incident - but Rooney explained what happened when speaking on The Overlap in 2024.
"I spoke to him in the tunnel after the game and it was forgotten about,” Rooney said.
“I wished him good luck for the rest of the tournament.
“It was after that when Sir Alex [Ferguson] called me up to make sure I was okay, which I was fine. I think Ronaldo was a bit scared."
So, there's still a mutual respect between the pair despite the incident in 2006.
And Rooney even went as far as describing the duo's relationship as "really good" when speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast in 2024.
"We had a really good relationship, but we were the complete opposites," Rooney explained.
"It was funny. Ronaldo was such a good character. Some of the stuff he used to do, with laughing and messing around, was similar to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"He would look into the mirror telling himself he is beautiful. Then there is me, who is the complete opposite - I did not have his looks! I was always telling him he was ugly. I used to say, 'no you’re not' - messing around - but it used to wind him up.
"The two of us would always play pranks on the manager and I would pick him up at times to take him to training or to the hotel."
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Football, La Liga
Luke Davies