Wayne Rooney has unusually compared himself with former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in order to show that he is not a player with a lot of ego. Rooney was once spoken of as the next great player in the world, but he is yet to reach the heights attained by the likes of Ronaldo. After having played for several years with Ronaldo, Rooney was often seen to hit new heights. However, it has never come, but Ronaldo has gone on to lift more FIFA Ballon d’Or awards. Rooney has responded to the criticism that he has not delivered in the last few years.
He says that winning individual trophies is not the first thing on his mind, as he is more concentrated towards winning titles with his team. His record with Manchester United in terms of trophies cannot be argued, as he has won everything from Premier League titles to Champions League. Individually, he has been the recipient of awards like the PFA Player of the Year in the 2009-10 season. However, those records are a shadow compared to the individual accolades received by Ronaldo. Rooney has come under criticism for his inability to perform with the England national team.
He has not scored in eight World Cup matches and he goes into the Italy match leading England’s attack.
“I’m not a player who needs [a legacy]. Cristiano Ronaldo … he has to have that. You admire him for that. You can see how he is. He wants his moments. I’m more about winning as a team. It’s more important to me. I’ve won the PFA Player of the Year and it’s nowhere near as good as winning a trophy with Manchester United. I’ve spoken to [Dr Peters] a few times. I found him great and easy to talk to and he will be a big help,” said Rooney.