Few players have more goals against Chelsea in their career than Wayne Rooney, however the Manchester United legend believes his toughest opponent was at Stamford Bridge.
The England striker’s prime in the Premier League came during an era where United and Chelsea were the two dominant forces, even competing against each other in the Champions League final in 2008.
The Red Devils were victorious on that day, with the Blues missing the chance at their first top European title after John Terry’s missed penalty.
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Joe Cole is absolutely right.
The moment thankfully does not define Terry’s career, and Rooney told Amazon Prime whilst offering punditry for this season’s Champions League that Terry was actually the toughest opponent he faced in his career.
He said: “The toughest defender I played against was John Terry. He was very physical. He was good in the air. Both feet as well, good, strong tackler. So for me, he was the toughest defender I played against. And I knew I was in for a tough game every time I played against him.”
Chelsea's English defender John Terry (L
Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP via Getty Images
Rooney played against Chelsea 37 times, most of those with Terry in the side, and scored nine goals while assisting another four.
The frustration factor of playing up against the former England captain will likely have played a part in the fact he picked up 10 bookings in those games.
Chelsea are also one of the only sides Rooney doesn’t boast a winning record against. The Blues won 16, drew 10 and lost 11 of those games.
Do you think Chelsea should sack Liam Rosenior? Or are you willing to give him more time?🤔
Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
John Terry’s legendary status a sign of how far Chelsea have fallen
The Chelsea legend has frequently found himself compared to current great Virgil van Dijk, with the consensus seeming to side with the Englishman for that debate.
Juan Mata chose Terry over Van Dijk, with many who have featured up against the Chelsea legend agreeing with that opinion.
Terry’s dominance is just a further sign of how far the Chelsea defence has fallen since their Premier League title-winning days. They just conceded eight goals across the Champions League tie against PSG.
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