Wayne Rooney responded after Cristiano Ronaldo called him jealous, following his criticism of the current Manchester United striker earlier this week.
The Derby County coach told a news conference Thursday that it was unlikely he would be jealous of Ronaldo.
“Probably no footballer in the world is not jealous of Cristiano,” he said.
“The job she had, the trophies she won, the money she got … six packs, her body.
“I think every player, bar maybe Lionel Messi, is jealous of Cristiano.”
Rooney and Ronaldo played together for Manchester United from 2004 until 2009, when they formed the most dangerous strike in the history of the Premier League.
Rooney lights the flame
Rooney appeared on Sky Sports’ ‘Monday Night Football’ program this week and was asked if Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford had been a success so far.
“You have to refuse right now,” Rooney said.
“[Ronaldo] has scored goals, important goals in the Champions League at the start of the season. He scored a hat-trick against Tottenham.”
He then said that United should look for younger players who will give more than Ronaldo.
“But I think if you look at the future of the team, you have to go with the young, hungry players to lift Manchester United in the next two or three years,” he said.
“Obviously, Cristiano is getting slower and slower. He’s certainly not the player he was in his 20s, and that happened – that’s football.
“He’s a goal scorer, but the rest of the game they need more and they need less hungry players.”
Ronaldo was not happy with the statement, as evidenced by his comments on Rooney’s Instagram a few hours later.
The former England striker has posted a photo of himself sitting next to Jamie Carragher and presenter David Jones, Ronaldo commenting on it.
“Two are jealous,” he wrote.
