England legend Wayne Rooney as a pundit, inset a photo of the Manchester United icon as a player for the Red Devils.
England legend Wayne Rooney as a pundit, inset a photo of the Manchester United icon as a player for the Red Devils.
England legend Wayne Rooney has admitted that one former Manchester United teammate was “similar” to him during his legendary playing career at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney had a magnificent career as a football player and the Manchester United legend is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of all time.
The 39-year-old former United striker lifted five Premier League titles, a Champions League, a Europa League, an FA Cup and three League Cups with the Red Devils.
Rooney carried on playing at Old Trafford after Sir Alex Ferguson retired from management in 2013 and he became United captain under Louis van Gaal.
The England and United icon first arrived at the Premier League club in 2004 after Sir Alex Ferguson signed Rooney from Everton in a transfer deal worth £27m.
Rooney is United’s all-time leading scorer and the ex-Red Devils skipper bowed out of Old Trafford in 2017 and signed for boyhood club Everton for a brief second spell.
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Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney at the Champions League match between Inter Milan and Barcelona at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, in 2025.
Photo by Domenico Cippitelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Wayne Rooney reveals what he noticed from his early experience with Carlos Tevez at Man Utd under Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson famously had the incredible trident attack force of Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Manchester United frontline.
The trio linked up superbly well under ex-United manager Ferguson and Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo were hailed for their respective impact.
Ronaldo arrived at Old Trafford first in 2003 before Rooney was signed from Everton in 2004 and Tevez was landed by United on a loan deal from West Ham in 2007.
Rooney recalled that he was “really excited” when Tevez was snapped up in a two-year loan deal and found their “chemistry” clicked both on the pitch and off it.
“When Carlos joined Manchester United, there was a lot of talk about whether Carlos and I could play up front together,” he said in BBC Sounds’ Football Daily show, as per BBC Sport.
“I was really excited when we signed him.
“We were similar in ways, how we played – both worked hard and could both play as a nine, both play off the forward as well.
“We had a really good understanding and chemistry on the pitch, off the pitch.
“I used to pick him up to take him to the airport before Champions League games. It was interesting actually because we couldn’t really have a conversation. I think his English was better than he let on.”
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Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney explains why both he and Carlos Tevez were a real nightmare for defenders
Carlos Tevez impressed during his loan spell at Old Trafford and the Argentine lifted two Premier League titles, a Champions League and a League Cup with the club.
Rooney praised Tevez as his United strike partner and the former England captain revealed why the pair were a real handful for any defender on the pitch.
“He’s a player you’d always want on your team and he scored some great goals for us, at big moments for us as well,” he added.
“Two years at Manchester United – two league titles, the Champions League… he was a massive part of that.
“I think Carlos was my favourite strike partner to play alongside.
“Most defenders we played actually hated playing against the two of us and we could feel that. We knew we were nasty as well.
“Very instinctive, intense, off the cuff. Anything could happen at any moment.”
Tevez stunned both United fans and the whole world after his loan spell ended and he completed an infamous transfer to crosstown rivals Manchester City in 2009.