Wayne Rooney risks reigniting Cristiano Ronaldo feud with Lionel Messi message

Wayne Rooney has spoken out after news that Lionel Messi will be joining David Beckham’s Inter Miami. The deal comes after the World Cup winner’s contract ended at Paris Saint-Germain, and Rooney has risked further angering his former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Argentine is said to have rejected the largest contract in the history of organised sports to play in Saudi Arabia, as well as a move back to Barcelona. Messi will be following in such footsteps as Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and the late Pelé in making the move to Major League Soccer.

Rooney, who is managing MLS side D.C. United also enjoyed a playing spell in the league. The 37-year-old played a single season for the same club he is now managing, scoring 25 goals in 52 appearances.

When asked in a press conference about Messi’s move stateside, Rooney said: “It’s great to bring Messi into the league. I think over the years we’ve all seen the impact of David Beckham coming in, Zlatan coming in over different seasons.

“To get Messi in the league, arguably the greatest player of all time, and still – although he’s a little bit older. But recently not long won the World Cup almost single handedly. I think it’s great for the league, it’s going to have a huge impact with Miami and MLS.”

Rooney’s comments about Messi will surely have caught the attention of Ronaldo after the pair’s recent spat. The Portuguese star, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, recently hit out at the Englishman after he claimed Ronaldo was an “unwanted distraction” for Manchester United during his time there.

Speaking in a controversial interview on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored show, Ronaldo quipped: “I don’t know why he [Rooney] criticises me so badly… probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level. I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true…”

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Rooney was then quizzed about Ronaldo’s remark at the 2022 Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. He said: “Oh listen, Cristiano’s a fantastic player.

“As I’ve said before, him and [Lionel] Messi are the two best players, probably, ever to play the game. And again, it’s no criticism, what I’ve said is, ‘Age comes to all of us’. Cristiano, obviously, is feeling that and has found it hard to deal with that and, obviously, he’s done an interview and it’s gone global.

“They’re strange, some of the comments, they’re strange, but I’m sure Manchester United will deal with it once they’ve seen the full interview and they’ll take whatever action they need to take.”

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