Carlos Tevez enjoyed an outstanding football career and had the opportunity to share the pitch with some of the game's biggest stars. Across both club and international football, he played alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Aguero. During that time, he also collected almost every major trophy available.
When asked to identify the greatest player he had ever played with, the Argentine had plenty of elite names to choose from. Many would expect any Argentinian in recent decades to select Lionel Messi, who has since gone on to lift the World Cup and drag his country to a third final.
Others would look to Cristiano Ronaldo, who formed a frightening front three at Manchester United, which included Tevez. Instead, he chose the third Man Utd star in that attack — the club's all-time top goalscorer, Wayne Rooney.
Tevez Picked Rooney as His Greatest Teammate
Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez
Although Tevez lined up alongside both Messi and Ronaldo, it was Rooney who left the biggest impression on him. The pair played together at United from 2007 to 2009, winning multiple Premier League titles, the Champions League and several other honours. While their partnership lasted only two seasons, Rooney's influence clearly remained with Tevez. Speaking in 2009 after leaving United for rivals Manchester City, Tevez explained why Rooney stood above the rest. Via quotes shared by the Mirror, he said:
"I’ve had the honour of playing with some great players. At United, I had Cristiano in my team and obviously, I have Messi in the national team. At Boca Juniors I had striker Martin Palermo for a teammate – he was very impressive. He was the one who put two goals past Real Madrid in Japan. But the one I like the most is Rooney. He has everything. He’s very complete.
"Plus we share the same humble origins. Although the humbleness he experienced growing up in Liverpool was obviously a bit more bearable than Fuerte Apache in Argentina, where I grew up."
Rooney may not have been the obvious choice given the calibre of teammates Tevez enjoyed throughout his career, but his achievements speak for themselves. After emerging as a teenage sensation at Everton, Rooney fulfilled his enormous potential by becoming Manchester United's all-time leading scorer and one of the Premier League's leading scorers.
He also held England's all-time scoring record before Harry Kane overtook him. Beyond his goalscoring exploits, Rooney was central to one of United's most successful eras, lifting five Premier League titles along with numerous other major trophies.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 20/07/2026.