Wayne Rooney has named his all-time best XI, adding Cristiano Ronaldo among four Manchester United teammates in the squad.
Wayne Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004 as a teenage sensation and made an immediate impact with a debut hat-trick. He quickly became a key player under Sir Alex Ferguson, known for his power, work rate, and eye for goal.
He helped United win five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League, playing across multiple positions to suit the team’s needs. His versatility and selflessness made him invaluable during one of the club’s most successful eras.
By the time he left in 2017, Rooney had become United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals, breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record. He also captained the side and delivered countless memorable moments.
Rooney’s United career was defined by passion, grit, and greatness. A true club legend, he remains one of the most influential players in United’s modern history. However, he has not had too much of a successful managerial career so far amid stints with Derby County, Birmingham City, and DC United.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, Rooney has named his all-time football starting XI.
Goalkeeper
With a host of great shot-stoppers to choose from, Rooney’s pick ended up being former United shot-stopper Edwin van der Saar, who managed 91 clean sheets in 186 appearances for the Red Devils.
Defence
In defence, Rooney chose England teammates Ashley Cole and Rio Ferdinand in left-back and centre-back, respectively.
He also picked legendary Italian centre-back Paolo Maldini and Brazillian right-back Cafu, snubbing former United captains Gary Neville and Nemanja Vidic who could certainly do a job in those roles.
Midfield
The team’s midfield is one to be envied, with centre-mids consisting of legendary Frenchman Zinedine Zidane and England’s answer to the aforementioned technician, Manchester’s own Paul Scholes.
On the left, there is another United legend, Cristiano Ronaldo, with the only player to mirror his success in the modern era, Lionel Messi, on the right.
Attack
Up top, there are two of the best attackers to ever grace a football pitch. Arsenal and Barcelona legend Thierry Henry lines up on the right, with the ‘original Ronaldo’ R9 completing this strike partnership.
Formation
Rooney has gone for a classic formation for this classic XI, with 4-4-2 being the lineup of choice. All that’s left to ask is who would manage this dream team? Ferguson? Moyes? Or maybe the former Derby gaffer, Rooney himself?
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.