“The best ever” – Wayne Rooney reveals why he rates Lionel Messi above ex-Man Utd teammate Cristiano Ronaldo

Wayne Rooney has said he considers Lionel Messi to be the greatest footballer of all time, placing him above his former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccernet.football reports.

Rooney, United’s all-time leading goalscorer, played alongside Ronaldo for five years at Old Trafford, winning both the Premier League and the Champions League together.

Despite his admiration for Ronaldo, who has won five Ballons d’Or, Rooney told Sky Bet (as reported by the Mirror) that Messi’s flair gives him the edge. Messi has won eight Ballons d’Or.

“I think Messi, he’s the best ever,” Rooney said. “I get a lot of stick for saying Messi when people think it should be Ronaldo. I understand both sides, they are both incredible. For me, Messi has that little bit more flair, which I like in a player.”

Rooney also expressed his admiration for Zinedine Zidane, stating he would have loved to play alongside the French World Cup winner. He described Zidane as “cool, calm, playing with both feet, scoring goals, and providing assists.”

While Messi and Ronaldo continue to play in their late 30s—Messi at Inter Miami and Ronaldo at Al-Nassr—Rooney retired in 2021 and has since moved into management. After a brief stint at Birmingham City, he is now managing Championship side Plymouth.