Why have Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo fallen out as BBC star makes new jibe
Cristiano Ronaldo's exit from the World Cup coaxed an intriguing comment out of Wayne Rooney, who appeared to aim a slight at his old team-mate
Everything you need to know about Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney tensions:
- Glory days and drama: Back in the Sir Alex Ferguson era, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were an absolute nightmare for defenders, racking up trophies and looking practically telepathic on the pitch. But off the pitch, or when wearing different club colours, their relationship has seen its fair share of fireworks and friction.
- Infamous wink: The first real explosion between the two went down at the 2006 World Cup. Ronaldo practically begged the referee to send Rooney off and that infamous wink to the Portuguese bench had the entire English media and fanbase out for his blood.
- Unfiltered opinions: They managed to bury the hatchet and go back to dominating the Premier League but since they left United, things have been a bit prickly on occasion. Rooney has never been one to bite his tongue and he's regularly dropped some pretty blunt critiques about his old team-mate's attitude and career moves.
- World Cup 2026 fallout: The drama flared up again after Portugal’s gut-wrenching loss to Spain at World Cup 2026. This time, Rooney actually defended the 41-year-old, pointing the finger straight at Portugal's midfield, especially Bruno Fernandes, for completely failing to utilise Ronaldo as a target man.
- Messi comparison: However, in that same breath on the BBC, Rooney couldn't resist a comparison to Lionel Messi that felt like a subtle dig. He pointed out how the Argentina squad looks willing to run through brick walls for Messi, whereas he just didn't get that same supportive vibe from the Portuguese players toward Ronaldo. Rooney said: "You always put Ronaldo and Messi together because they are two of the best players the game has ever seen but the Argentinian lads seem like they’re all there for Messi. They’re all behind him. Messi has obviously been fantastic at this World Cup. I don’t get that vibe from the Portuguese players."
- Fading pace comment: Rooney also admitted the obvious in stating Ronaldo has lost some of his former pace but insisted he's still a lethal finisher. He was genuinely annoyed watching Portugal pass it around the edge of the box instead of just whipping crosses into their captain.
- Messy United return: When Ronaldo had his disastrous second spell at Old Trafford, Rooney didn't hold back. He publicly called out CR7's behavior, saying his antics were dragging the squad down and were totally unacceptable for a club of United's size.
- Tevez mix-up: Then there was that hilarious moment in 2025 where Rooney jokingly mistook Ronaldo for Carlos Tevez on video. Rooney was cracking up, fully aware a hyper-proud guy like Cristiano would be absolutely fuming at the comparison.
- Bottom line: There’s clearly a ton of mutual respect between the pair rooted in their legendary United days. However Rooney is one of the few people in football who genuinely isn't afraid to dish out tough love and call out his old team-mate in public.
READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo's shortcomings brutally laid bare by Spanish media after World Cup tears
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