Angel Di Maria has had the luxury of playing alongside some of the biggest superstars of his generation. Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Aguero and Gareth Bale are just some of the world-class names the Argentine has shared a dressing room with.
Not only has he played in incredible teams over the years, but successful ones too. Di Maria's trophy cabinet is full to the brim with some of the biggest prizes the world game has to offer. From Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League with Real Madrid, and even the World Cup with Argentina.
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Despite his incredible career in the sport, there have been a couple of hiccups along the way. Di Maria was at the top of the European game in 2014 when he made the shock decision to leave the Santiago Bernabeu to move to Manchester United. His time at Old Trafford was one to forget, but one player left a strong impression on him during the 12-month stint.
Angel Di Maria on 'Top Level' Wayne Rooney at Man United
'He’s a spectacular player and he’s one of the top players in the game'
United's team was still full of superstar names in 2014, just one year after Sir Alex Ferguson retired, but the one standout 'top level' player at the club in Di Maria's eyes was Wayne Rooney. The iconic striker was on the same pedestal as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to the Argentine, who played with them both in his career. He said:
"Rooney is at the top level. The other day I was talking to my friend and I said, 'Rooney and me understand each other, just like Messi and me in the Argentina squad, or Cristiano at Real Madrid."
Expanding on the retired England forward's ability, Di Maria labelled him one of the best in the sport during their shared time at Old Trafford. The winger added: "I get on really well with Rooney, we get together on the pitch to kick the ball about, to do things. He’s a spectacular player and he’s one of the top players in the game."
Rooney on Why Di Maria Failed at Manchester United
'He could have been a major star at United'
Angel Di Maria
Returning the favour after Di Maria's nightmare season at the club came to an end, Rooney stated that his ex-teammate was 'a wonderful player', but claimed circumstances just didn't allow him to thrive with the English giants.
He recalled the special treatment Di Maria was even given upon his arrival, saying (per Manchester Evening News): "When he came to United, I remember Louis van Gaal saying to the team: 'He is the only one who is allowed to dribble with the ball'. Angel works tirelessly on the pitch and his delivery, vision, and awareness are brilliant."
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However, the striker-turned-pundit is convinced issues away from the pitch were ultimately the catalysts behind Di Maria's downfall at Old Trafford. Rooney explained:
"He could have been a major star at United but at the time we were going through a bit of a transition and it was tough for him to settle. He had young kids and lived a couple of houses down from me and someone tried to burgle him. I remember that really shook him and his family.
"From then on, really, you knew it was going to be tough for him, and it was probably better for him to leave."