The football world was once again stirred up when Wayne Rooney, in a short interview in Manchester, unexpectedly responded harshly to Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar’s controversial statements on Piers Morgan’s show.
Rooney — who was a close teammate of Ronaldo at Manchester United — could not hide his disappointment, when he declared that “it’s time for Ronaldo to shut up and think again.”
“He’s tarnishing the image that we’ve spent years building. There are limits that a legendary player needs to respect, and he’s crossed that line,” Rooney said coldly to the camera.
However, what shocked the public the most was the heavy implication that the former Red Devils captain added afterward:
“I think there’s something wrong. He’s not the Ronaldo I knew. Maybe… there’s something going on in his mind that we don’t understand.”
This statement quickly went viral at a dizzying speed. Within hours, social media was flooded with comments, debates, and thousands of articles analyzing whether Rooney was hinting at CR7’s mental health issues.
A sports expert commented:
“Rooney rarely speaks so harshly. His use of the phrase ‘destroying our image’ shows that this is not just a personal conflict, but a matter of honor — the image of a golden generation.”
Meanwhile, Ronaldo fans reacted strongly, saying that Rooney was trying to “take advantage” of the public storm to belittle his former teammate. On the contrary, many others defended Rooney, saying that he was just saying what many people in the football world were thinking but did not dare to say.
An article in the Daily Mirror commented:
“If what Rooney said is true, this could be a sign that Ronaldo is going through the worst mental period of his career.”
As of this morning, Ronaldo has not yet responded, but insiders say his representatives are “looking closely” at Rooney’s comments.
Whatever the truth, the war of words between the two former Manchester United legends is causing a stir in the football world. And if Rooney’s words continue to circulate, it could be the deepest rift yet in the legendary friendship between two stars who once conquered the pinnacle of world football together.
