Wayne Rooney picks Lionel Messi over ex-Man Utd teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in GOAT debate

Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed some of the most successful seasons of their respective careers together at Manchester United. The duo wreaked havoc in the Premier League, while also clinching the Champions League title in 2008. Despite the collective success, Rooney has snubbed his former Man Utd teammate in favour of Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi. 

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Wayne Rooney describes Cristiano Ronaldo's efforts in training

Writing in the Sunday Times, Rooney opined that Ronaldo wasn't focused on scoring goals when the duo began playing together. However, his only ambition was to become the best player in the world, revealed the former England superstar. Ronaldo worked hard at training and went on to become an incredible scorer. Messi and he are arguably the best football stars in the world, said Rooney. 

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Difficult to match their numbers: Wayne Rooney on Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo 

Rooney asserted that Ronaldo is ruthless in the penalty box, but Messi has the ability to torture his opponents before he goes on to score in the game. Messi's impression on the field suggests that he is having fun, said the former Man Utd star. Rooney went on to assert that the two superstars have changed the dynamics of the game in terms of the number of goals they have scored and it is difficult for any other player to match their success in the near future. 

His comments come as a surprise amid his close relationship with Ronaldo. The duo together won three Premier League titles along with a Champions League triumph. Despite a brief conflict during the 2006 World Cup, the duo paired up to achieve immense success together under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson. 

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Lionel Messi a step above Cristiano Ronaldo: Man Utd legend David Beckham 

Rooney's comments echo the opinion of another Man Utd legend David Beckham. The Inter Miami-owner came up against Messi while he was with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Beckham revealed that there will not be any other player like the Argentine forward. He described Messi a step above level Ronaldo and also claimed that there will not be any other player like him. 

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Image courtesy: Cristiano Ronaldo/ DC United Twitter/ Leo Messi Instagram