The relationship between Rooney and Ronaldo wasn’t always smooth sailing. The infamous flashpoint came during the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal, when Ronaldo was accused of encouraging the referee to send off Rooney for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho. The incident briefly strained their friendship, but upon returning to Manchester, the pair quickly reconciled.
While Rooney has long since hung up his boots, Ronaldo’s story is still being written. The 40-year-old superstar is now closing in on an extraordinary milestone of 1,000 career goals. After scoring in Al-Nassr’s recent 2-0 win over Al Hazm, Ronaldo’s tally sits at an incredible 950 goals. He extended his contract with the Saudi giants in June and committed to the club until 2027. At his current scoring rate, it’s almost inevitable that Ronaldo will break the 1,000-goal barrier. It will be a feat that would establish his status as the most prolific scorer in football history. Rooney, who has often snubbed Ronaldo in favour of Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate, however, was quick to back his former teammates to reach the milestone.
“100%. He’s not retired before he’s caused thousands,” he said. “It’d be great for him as well if he does that, and I’m sure over the next couple of years he’ll be playing with his son alongside him, so I think that’s a big thing as well for him.”