“Get a Lot of Stick for Saying [Lionel] Messi” – Cristiano Ronaldo Snubbed Again as Wayne Rooney Stands Firm on His Goat-Debate Opinion

Guess what, the evergreen GOAT debate is back! Once again, a fresh opinion has emerged to bring a unique twist to the eternal discussion, this time from Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United icon has once more stood his ground, giving a cold shoulder to his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in favor of Lionel Messi, who possesses a ‘little bit more extra flair.’

The revelation came on the Quickfire Questions segment of Sky Bet’s ‘The Overlap.’ Among the 53 questions asked by his former Red Devils teammate, Gary Neville, Rooney was again asked to choose between Messi and Ronaldo, and the former striker quickly sided with the Argentinian superstar—despite being aware of the repercussions. “I just think he’s the best ever, but I get a lot of stick for saying Messi, like ‘how can you say Messi, it’s Ronaldo!'”

However, Rooney insisted that he understands the fans’ outrage over his preference as everyone has their own opinion. The former Everton man holds the utmost respect for both players. “They’re both incredible; probably the best two players ever to play the game. For me, Messi’s just got that little bit more extra flair, which I like in a player so that’s the reason really,” he concluded. 

Even in the past, Rooney, despite being a fan of the 5x Ballon d’Or winner, spoke highly of the 2022 World Champion. The surprise double folds, given that the England icon has shared a locker room with Ronaldo at Old Trafford for over four seasons. But wait until you hear Rooney’s explanation as to why he prefers Messi over the Real Madrid icon. 

Unlike Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney believes Cristiano Ronaldo is too goal-oriented!

Earlier, during a lengthy podcast interview with YouTuber Lyes Bouzidi, Wayne Rooney asserted that Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t care much about enjoying the sport. Rather, the former Juventus star’s mind is ‘just goals’ and fails to enjoy the beautiful game. “Whereas you look at Messi, he wants to play a bit more,” Rooney compared. Interestingly, with these claims, the new Plymouth manager echoed Eden Hazard’s sentiments.

The former Chelsea star once asserted that, unlike him and Messi, Ronaldo doesn’t enjoy being with the ball as much. “Cristiano is a bigger player than me, but in terms of pure football, I honestly don’t think so,” said the Belgian. As if these claims weren’t enough, the latest take from Rooney will reignite a passionate and controversial debate among soccer fans. But as he said, he is quite used to the criticism.