Wayne Rooney explains why he stands by Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo opinion

The England legend of course shared a dressing room with Ronaldo, but he has put his Old Trafford allegiances aside to back Messi as football's one true GOAT… again.

Rooney has declared numerous times in the past that he is firmly in the Team Messi camp.

All the way back in 2012 the striker wrote on Twitter: "Messi is a joke. For me the best ever."

Then, more than a decade later, he quote tweeted himself to add, "Nothing has changed", after watching him guide Argentina to the World Cup final at Qatar 2022, before then lifting the famous golden trophy.

He has also repeatedly insisted his support of Messi is not an insult to Ronaldo, who he has the 'greatest of respect for' but just admits Messi is 'different' - admitting he 'couldn't get near' the Argentine maestro in their various encounters on the pitch.

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Rooney has now added further fuel to the fire, suggesting Messi is less selfish than Ronaldo, whose total focus is, always has and always will be on putting the ball in the back of the net.

He's very good at that, as his record of 868 career goals testifies, but Rooney is not the only ex-footballer to feel there are better players than CR7.

Former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard recently said that he feels he was a better 'pure footballer' than Ronaldo.

A bold claim for a man who was undoubtedly one of the most talented footballers the Premier League has ever seen, but is now retired from the game at the age of 33, while Ronaldo is still going strong and looking as fit as ever at 39 - albeit in the Saudi Pro League.

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Rooney was asked about Hazard's comments and his comments about being a better 'pure footballer' - and couldn't help but bring up the Messi vs Ronaldo debate again.

"So for instance, Cristiano Ronaldo, his mindset is goals," Rooney said in an interview with YouTubers Lyes Bouzidi and CultureCams.

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"He doesn't care about anything else, it's goals, that's all he wants.

"Whereas you look at Messi, he wants to play a bit more.

"I suppose that's what Hazard is saying, he liked to play - exactly like myself.

"I saw something that Gery Neville said recently, that Alex Ferguson always used to have a go at me for coming too deep, but it was because I wanted to play football.

"And I could have been a bit more selfish and stayed up top, and maybe scored a few more goals, but I wanted to play.

"I wanted to enjoy the game and I imagine that's what Hazard means."