Zlatan Ibrahimovic Says Cristiano Ronaldo Owes Career Success to Wayne Rooney
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Credits Wayne Rooney for Cristiano Ronaldo's Rise
Zlatan Ibrahimovic once claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo owes a great deal of his career success to one notable English player and Manchester United legend. The Swedish striker suggested that without Wayne Rooney's hard work, Ronaldo's achievements might have looked very different.
Ronaldo's Journey from Sporting Lisbon to Global Stardom
Cristiano Ronaldo began his professional career at Sporting Lisbon, but it was only after joining Manchester United that he truly made his mark on the football world. At Old Trafford, Ronaldo dazzled as a winger, winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy before moving to Real Madrid.
During his time in Spain, Ronaldo set a club record by scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances. He also added four more Champions League titles and two La Liga championships to his collection. Now 41, Ronaldo has continued to score prolifically for Juventus and Al-Nassr late in his career. His international record stands at 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal, making him the top scorer in men's international football.
Ibrahimovic Praises Rooney's Team Sacrifice
In 2015, Ibrahimovic highlighted Rooney's significant contribution to Ronaldo’s early success at Manchester United. He explained that while Ronaldo often received the glory for goals, Rooney was the player doing most of the running and sacrificing himself for the team.
"When Cristiano Ronaldo played at United, Rooney did all the work but Cristiano took all the glory. He was the one who was getting the goals. Rooney ran, fought and made far more of a team sacrifice than the player from Madeira."
Following the Premier League closely, Ibrahimovic also remarked, "Great players have exceptional phases that last between one to three years, it’s not normal that this phase lasts five years as in the case with Rooney."
Playing Together at Manchester United and Rooney’s Departure
Ibrahimovic eventually joined Manchester United in 2016, winning the League Cup and Europa League during his first season alongside Rooney. He scored 29 goals and provided 10 assists in 53 appearances before leaving in 2018. Throughout his time at the club, Ibrahimovic expressed admiration for Rooney.
"He is a fantastic footballer. He helps his partner score lots of goals because he is working for one, two, maybe three other players. It seems like he has a strong mentality to win - like me, he doesn't like to lose."
After playing with Rooney, Ibrahimovic added, "As a player, there are no words left to say about him - he's the perfect player. Everybody knows what he can do, what he did, what he has done."
Interestingly, Ibrahimovic’s arrival at Manchester United coincided with Rooney’s exit. Rooney later revealed how his reduced playing time led to his decision to leave:
"The hardest thing for a player is to understand you may not be at the level you were. I realized it when Zlatan Ibrahimovic came in and I wasn't playing. I wanted to play so I left straight away. I accepted it."
Rooney departed in 2017, having scored 253 goals in total. He remains the only player in the Premier League to have recorded both 200 goals and 100 assists, cementing his legacy as one of England’s finest.
