Not that impressive really. He played for them for 13 years. Any half-decent striker playing 600 games upfront for Man United should be easily averaging over 0.5 GPG. Rooney wasn't even close to doing even that. People like Kane are 2x the player Rooney was. And I say that as an Arsenal fan.
@@grantmckee123 did u watch the video? He wasn’t a striker the full 13 years, some years he played on the wing, others more in the midfield. Not to mention he was a great team player that passed the ball instead of shooting and exerted a lot of energy on defence
@@rock_bottom7598 He was a striker the majority of the years. The video is incorrect to say he only played on the wing when Ronaldo was there. He only played there occasionally in the Champions League knockout stage and in games against other top 4 teams in Ronaldo's last season, 2008-09. The seasons before he was a striker, which you can see in the 2008 Champions League final if you want to go read match reports, or watch highlights. And again, only his final 2 seasons at Man Utd he played a deeper role. And only because he wasn't good enough up-front anymore.
@@WinWal2000 Not everyone has to keep on doing well late in their careers like Zlatan and Ronaldo did. Prime Wayne Rooney was absolutely class and he was at the top of the game for about a decade (2005-2014). I think people say this stuff cos he declined early but people don't talk about how he started so early.
@@adriboy01 i think Rooney career is the most normal for Players in his class. Killing it in his prime ages, become veteran and leaves to give room for new generation.
@@adriboy01 Exactly. He was a full pro, a starter in the prem by 16. He played at the top level for 10+ years and was a super important player. Just because he wasn’t the same throughout that time doesn’t mean he was bad. If anything, his longevity despite his physical shortcoming should be highlighted as a strength.
The dude was world class for nearly a decade. I'd say he reached his potential. He wasn't as physically gifted as Ronaldo or an alien like Messi...but if we compared everyone to those two they'd all underperform.
@@sharkr3283 I used the word "as". Meaning he is gifted physically, just not to the level of a ronaldo (power, speed, jumping abilty, etc) Rooney was always powerful. He lost his position for the most part because he was too slow. Ronaldo started as a faster player, and kept that speed longer into his career.
@@hey_mr_wallace2323 He lost speed because of injuries,he started earlier than Ronaldo. He sacrificed his position for the sake of his teammates. SAF sucked out every ounce of youth left in him by playing him even during injuries. Off the field he was involved in partying,drinking etc..despite all this he was on par with Cr7 and Messi. It says a lot about Rooney. He suffered two career ending ankle injuries in a single season and never recovered from it.
you cannot say he wasn't as gifted as physically gifted as messi and maybe even ronaldo except for the height. He just didn't work as hard in the gym as Ronaldo and didn't take care of the body. It's not like he had a career ending injury. Classic english lifestyle affected him too.
Prime Rooney was someone to be feared of, after SAF left he became so unselfish often changing positions or playing in a position which doesn't suit him, he is a legend in every aspect for Manchester United and England, gave his everything for the batch
he was also very versatile for SAF. when new forwards were brought in he would typically be the player moved around the front line and midfield with little fuss.
@@aayushkarnik7166 Unfortunately for you,you are wrong,Rooney's success lasted much longer and is more decorated,but Ronaldinhos ballon dor winning season will never be matched as long as we are both alive...probably even longer than that
@Craig zero Stats arent everything,that was a brilliant season and will in many peoples eyes be the best,but even as a Barcelona fan since I was born,Ronaldinhos smile,skills,aura,the way he just thought something up in half a second...and proceeded to do it against the best of the best while at the same time nurturing an 18 year old kid that will eventually score 91 goals,the very same 91 goals you speak of...you can have your own opinion,but watching Ronaldinho that season will never be matched no matter how many goals or assists someone has,I do appreciate your solid opinion however.
"He won everything there was to win at club level and finished as England's record goalscorer." WTF else is he meant to do?..... guy's a legend already
Ditto, something different about supporting United back then. My first jersey was that ugly blue away kit with Vodafone on it. I didn’t care if we were winning or losing there was just so much raw excitement and energy. Now everything feels gimmicky and commercial. Or maybe I’ve just become older and the glamor has worn of 🤷♂️
I mean, other guys have had really long careers and are simultaneously some of the hardest working guys out there. Mark Messier in Ice Hockey, Ichiro Suzuki in Baseball, Tom Brady in American Football. You just need to have a routine and a regimen you stick too.
@@TheBrainSpecialist Football is one of the most demanding sports ever. Wazza's playstyle was also very depending on his physical attributes. See how Bale losing his speed cannot cut it anymore.
One of the reasons he declined so dramatically too is the fact he was playing top level football at full intensity from the age of 16, he stayed at that top level for 15+ years which is much more than 99% of players achieve. The reason Messi and Ronaldo have been able to do it longer is they’ve been able to adapt and change their play style - Messi has learnt how and when to use his bursts of pace most effectively to save energy (hence why you don’t see him making the 50 yard sprints and dribbles you used to see several times a game) and Ronaldo has changed from a winger constantly running at defences into a top level poacher who relies on his positioning more than his pace. Rooney’s style of play relied so much on his intensity and tenacity that as soon as he started declining physically he was bound to decline rapidly as a player. He is, however, still an incredible passer and brilliant behind a dead ball and is a good defensive midfielder at Championship level.
I made a similar post regarding the goats. Their teams have also been a massive help, as Ronaldo has moved into more of a 9 role at juve, and Messi hasn't had to run back on defense for years. Give Rooney that same kind of treatment and lower his defensive duties earlier in his career, and I think he hits 30 goals a season regularly. Make him the focal point and then support him as he declines just like Barca, Madrid, and Juve have
na the reason is, he peaked at a very young age, he was an early developer. with a grown mans body at 15 years old. peaking at 21/22 and on the way down from there. nothing wrong with that and it was all of course out of rooneys hands and he had many years at the top. by the time he was 27/28 he was dropping off
This is so true, rooney always had the most high intensity runs and presses in every United game he played in. More than cr7, more than vidic, more than scholes, more than keano. So think about that toll it’s taking on his body and that was why he was so goddamn good was his intensity+tenacity plus the fact he had world class touch and skills made him unstoppable. But once his physicality tapered off half of his game did as well. He was still a world class player tbh but he wasn’t still top 5 players in the world
@@muathalhisham9393 Yeah, I wouldn't compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, but both are ridiculous generation defining players, as Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff, Zidane, Ronaldo, Zico, Puskas. But I'd say he's on the level of Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Kaká, Weah and plenty of others underrated players in 00's who couldn't get the biggest limelight because they were caught between the fight between both of the great players above which is not bad company at all.
Most truly great players tend to hit their absolute peak around 26-29. I believe what makes them great and not good is their consistency up to and then past that point.
His performances in the late 2000s/early 2010s are extremely underrated. If Messi and Ronaldo hadn't been putting up crazy numbers in La Liga, the world would have taken notice of Rooney's form
The world DID take notice of Rooney. Did you not realise he got more fifa covers than any other player? He became englands greatest ever scorer. Ronaldo and xabi alonso ranked him amongst the greatest ever players. He definitely did get noticed.
Exactly. He was just not as good as the others. A mediocre player on a global scale, terribly overrated by a nation that has not won anything for 50 years.
His selflessness was his ultimate Achilles heel, that stopped him from fulfilling his true potential. Still the numbers, the trophies he has won, shows how good he still was.
On the pitch he gave his everything. Off it, he drank excessively. Didn't keep fit. Did not hit the gym enough. Made bad personal decisions. All things that contributed to his downfall.
When selflessness is spoken about with Rooney, it is really a lack of tactical understanding or discipline. In his younger days, he would roam around the pitch a million miles an hour trying to do it all. Ronaldo wait in the final third for the ball to come to him, and then score. Ferguson said that Rooney needs to focus on playing in the final third. As mentioned in the other comment, Rooney wasn't disciplined off the pitch. In addition, team mates often talk about the after hours training that Ronaldo would do on the pitch or in the gym. I haven't heard that about Rooney. Rooney was sacrificed by Ferguson because Ronaldo became a better player.
Short answer: Injuries, injuries, injuries But when he was in his prime, especially in his early 20s he was a tenacious footballer who plays hard and runs at every counter attack But that seems to change when he became captain of Man United and the fiery in his game died down
@Dave Byrne Exactly, he was known to get absolutely wasted in Liverpool on a regular basis. He usually went out twice a week for a big sesh. Ronaldo was/is virtually teetotal and always the first and last player on the training pitch. He also sleep 9 hours a night, whereas Rooney is known to be an insomniac. Diet wise, Ronaldo is a 'functional' eater, he doesn't touch refined sugars and only has complex carbs. He stretches and does both yoga and pilates and he meditates twice a day (Transcendental Meditation). He also only spends about 40 minutes on his phone per day. These are reasons why Ronaldo looks 25 and is still world class at almost 36, while Rooney at about a year younger looks about 40 and his legs went after 28. He still has technical quality, but is immobile (as in his legs have gone, not the name of the Italian striker!)
It changed when he started dropping deeper after Scholes first retired, he didn't have the ability to play like that...and also he was still a striker so it fucked up the team having him drop deep
Saw my mate The other day He said to me he saw the white Pele So I asked Who is he He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney Wayne Rooney, Wayne Rooney He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney
@@MeazurAli its saying rooney is white. Ie pele is black so therefore rooney is the ‘white pele’ as a comparison, being similar in talent but not colour.
You obviously never watched him at derby then. He’s been unbelievably poor this season. Almost like he wanted to sabotage us to get a free shot as a manager. I’ve been really disappointed with him even if he didn’t have anything else to prove
@@bradkeeling8645 I know the current situation at Derby. My point is that time has got the better of him, so It's kinda dumb for people to hope for the same performance of him like in ManU. Then again, instead of making chaos at Derby he should've just retired at MLS and taking coaching staff gig somewhere else.
@@musyarofah1 I agree with the second point. But I think if you even watch a few clips of him at derby. He’s been probably our worst player this season. It’s nothing do to with his fitness and no one expected him to be the player he was at Man U. Just making a simple 10 yard pass in the middle of the park would have been nice to see him make this season, and I’m not even kidding. He just doesn’t have the desire that was the problem
He is one of the greatest players of this century who doesn't get the respect he deserves because he was unselfish enough to always put his team ahead of personal glory.
In my view he was a victim of his own attacking versatility, he could play so many roles the attack was never built around him and he just had to do what was needed for the team, incredible player
One of the best teams in the world then on paper. But club rivalry meant that the players didn't get on and couldn't play as a team. Also trying to fit Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard in the same 11 never helped. England are far more of a team now even if the players aren't anywhere near as good, excluding Harry Kane. Hopefully the likes of Foden, Sancho and Grealish can do the business for England in the coming years.
Absolute legend. His bicycle kick against man city is still the best goal of the entire premier league. One he got older he couldn't play the same young mans game that he use to, but he is always an incredible player in my heart. also, he's not 'seeing out his player career at derby', he's a playing coach. He basically took the job as a transition to being a coach and hes been doing a pretty good job.
Rooney is that type of player u would love to have in ur team... Is flexible to change his position... Can give beautiful assists... Can tackle well... And his scoring abilities r insane... Freekicks.. Volleys... Bicycle kicks... Goals from ur own half... Everything.. Apart from all this he was a great team player... Never selfish.. A captain... And a true Red Devil✨
He physically matured quickly and lost a lot of pace which took away from his X factor and turned him into a more supportive player. He was a very consistent goal scorer for one particular season (2010), but was never the same when returning from injury despite some special moments
Wasn’t a Rooney fan but what he’s done this season with Derby is amazing considering all their problems, and the fact he’s stuck with them when many others would have walked away deserves much respect 👍⚽️
I was a kid around era 2004-2008, and a liverpool fan, but oh boy when it comes to liverpool vs man utd, hearing his name makes me spine tingling, especially when he strikes. He's really that skillful and legend
HE IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PLAYER, WORKING HARD, WORKING FOR OTHERS, FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE TEAM WHILE KNOWING U R BETTER THEN MOST PLAYERS ATTACKING, MAKES HIM THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALLER IN MY EYES
He was a beast in his prime, strong and quick and could score all kind of goal, (remember his acrobatic goal against city), most defensive striker I've ever seen, never shy on effort and sacrifice. He had vista as well, and a generous heart, allowing to play as a 10 in his late years. I 'd say he was a complete player with the mentality and spirit needed to win trophies. Man U, England and World Football salute you dear Wayne.
Wayne Rooney is the best player I’ve had the pleasure of watching, my hero growing up and had the potential to be even better than he already was, and he was bloody phenomenal already
He's best quality as a footballer is he's a team player even with quality he has. Not every world class player could be a good team player consistently. That's why Rooney is some of the one of a kind footballer that we see in modern times.
It’s simple: he didn’t take care of himself. His rise to stardom came at a time when players (especially Ronaldo) were starting to take their diets and conditioning a lot more seriously. But not Rooney. Later on in his career, he would routinely come into preseason out of shape and would have to slowly work himself back into it during the season. Eventually this lax attitude towards fitness (and his own relentless work rate during the actual games) took their toll on his body. It’s a shame too, because if he did take care of himself better (and didn’t have so many injuries) he would arguably still be a quality veteran at a top club, like Zlatan at Milan. He was THAT good.
at the end they compared him with Ronaldo and Messi, who are still winning trophies. He achieved a lot, but could he have achieved much more like them?
@@SantomPh what is much more? You can't compare club or country as that's not in one person's hand. Individual B'dor is the only metric one can say was left unfinished... Even that award nowadays is pointless. Entire conversation around the potential of Rooney now seems ironical and pretty pointless.
@@mesicek7 yep, it's a speculation with not much connection to reality. Potential (even in hindsight) is a bunch of would be/could be. It makes even less sense when the player being discussed is literally the greatest scorer in club and country's history.
He was an unsung hero during the Ronaldo era. He was equally as important. Watch those seasons where United won 3 Prem titles back to back and you'll see how he was one of the best players in the world
One of the most talented and well rounded players to have ever played the game, passing, defending, scoring, controlling games and even as a goalkeeper. Even when he slowed down he was able to adapt his game and still be one of the best players on the pitch. Class
His debut hat trick plus that overhead kick against city are my standout highlights of an incredible career. As so many have said it shows how great the man was when it’s considered he could’ve done more. True legend.
Having watched so many greats from his generation, the happiest moments of my life as a football fan came when watching Rooney play. Will never forget his Euro '04 goals, his 50th for England and all his goals for United.
Rooney 100% hit his ceiling, between 2007-2012 he was unstoppable, he just couldn’t maintain that level long enough to establish himself as an all time great
@@r4h4al in my book he is, but to most he probably isnt because he didnt maintain his peak for long enough, under sir Alex he was one of the best forwards in the world (arguably more important than Ronaldo for united) and if he could just maintained that peak for a few more years he would have been talked about for generations, but as I said, still an all time great in my opinion
Rooney was more of a team player than any other player with his talent in the world. He gave it his all and played where the team needed him to. Absolute legend
Particularly enjoyed this. More so than other uploads in the last month. 10 out of 10. Thanks for the effort put into this channel all around. BTW do not ever change the narrater for youtube content his voice is perfect for this content!! Thumbs up.
He is far underrated than any football player he could have easily joined barca or madrid but stuck with united until they let him go to his boyhood club where he was still the best attacking player but slowly age caught up and he lost his stamina. Hope he continues his career as a manager and in future might lead united again as a manager.
Finally, tifo/umaxit gives a fair analysis of Rooney. I have been watching this channel for many years and this is the first time I feel they’ve done him justice! Good job.
Becoming your club and country's all-time top-scorer just to be told you didn't fulfill your potential is quite the legacy to carry. My boyhood and adult life hero, I love you so much, Wayne Rooney!
Lost his bite at almost his prime, the injuries didn't help but is still one of the greatest to play the game in recent history and will forever be my GOAT ♥️♥️♥️
I feel Rooney peaked in the 2010/11 season (the second half of it). The same season he performed a transfer request U-turn, scored that overhead kick against City, a hat-trick against West Ham after being 2-0 down, and scored in the champions league final against Barca. That season he still had his beast mode attributes, but was delivering all round big goals and performances without being an out and out poacher (as in 09/10) or workhorse (like when Ronaldo was in the team). He also linked up with Hernandez wonderfully that season.
Rooney was soo good soo young ! This guy made me love football ! ! ! It’s sad that people still underrate him, his playmaking ability and his attacking abilities was world class. Has the second most goals and third most assists yet people say he didn’t fulfill his potential.
Anyone that watched Rooney in his prime will never question or doubt is quality. He may have not fulfilled his full potential but that's because his ceiling was higher than most. In spite of all that he still succeeded. Forever an all time fav
Man there was a time in the mid 2000’s when you had R9, Zidane, Dinho, Henry, Rooney, CR7 and Messi all out here that’s just flat out amazing we don’t appreciate that time enough I think it all culminated with the 2006 WC the crossing of two eras
This man deserves so much more respect. Its terrifying that he's accomplished all he has and people still question his credentials. He spent a large portion of his career playing out of position and still managed to become the top scorer for both Man United and England. Give this man his flowers!
Nothing. He was always a useless lump of crap. It was evident he was never good enough. United had and arguably still have a weird culture of keeping hold of duds. Why are the likes of Pereira still on the books?!
Yeah I noticed that , poor research hey. little Mozart didn't play for the toffees, Tomas Graveson did though, maybe they meant him. He signed for Real Madrid lol
Tbh his MLS run wasn't even bad. Knowing how tired his body was, the man produced quite the highlight real, especially the goal he created tracking back when nobody else did. I'd say only Zlatan had a better MLS run but clearly the swede wasn't finished
Young Wayne Rooney was one of the most exciting players I've ever seen, every time he got the ball you thought something special was going to happen, and it usually did.
We are spoiled by all-time greats playing deep into their 30s in great form. Wayne Rooney was a world class striker for many many years AND one of the only offensive players that really did high effort defensive work in his generation. Many of his memorable moments were of his tackles (go see an early days FIFA videogame advertisements with Rooney - his scene many times were him scoring goals while physically battling defenders).
Probably one of the best and most honest video made on Wayne Rooney. Fans either say he was overrated because he couldn't match Messi or Ronaldo but in reality he was always a Team player first and that always hindered him greating great numbers.
![Is Wayne Rooney The Most Underrated Player Of All Time? [How GOOD Was He Actually?]](/img/n.gif)
Imagine being Manchester United’s all time top scorer and still having been able to do better. That shows you just how talented Wayne Rooney was.
If he wasn't English, pundits would be creaming their knickers over him. Somehow he still gets slated!
A M very well said. Class player
Not that impressive really. He played for them for 13 years. Any half-decent striker playing 600 games upfront for Man United should be easily averaging over 0.5 GPG. Rooney wasn't even close to doing even that.
People like Kane are 2x the player Rooney was. And I say that as an Arsenal fan.
@@grantmckee123 did u watch the video? He wasn’t a striker the full 13 years, some years he played on the wing, others more in the midfield. Not to mention he was a great team player that passed the ball instead of shooting and exerted a lot of energy on defence
@@rock_bottom7598 He was a striker the majority of the years. The video is incorrect to say he only played on the wing when Ronaldo was there. He only played there occasionally in the Champions League knockout stage and in games against other top 4 teams in Ronaldo's last season, 2008-09. The seasons before he was a striker, which you can see in the 2008 Champions League final if you want to go read match reports, or watch highlights.
And again, only his final 2 seasons at Man Utd he played a deeper role. And only because he wasn't good enough up-front anymore.
Nothing happened to him, may have not reached his absolute peak potential but he's still a motherfucking legend.
@@WinWal2000 Not everyone has to keep on doing well late in their careers like Zlatan and Ronaldo did. Prime Wayne Rooney was absolutely class and he was at the top of the game for about a decade (2005-2014). I think people say this stuff cos he declined early but people don't talk about how he started so early.
@@adriboy01 i think Rooney career is the most normal for Players in his class. Killing it in his prime ages, become veteran and leaves to give room for new generation.
Spot on Tandon
@@adriboy01 Exactly. He was a full pro, a starter in the prem by 16. He played at the top level for 10+ years and was a super important player. Just because he wasn’t the same throughout that time doesn’t mean he was bad. If anything, his longevity despite his physical shortcoming should be highlighted as a strength.
I think he definitely reached his peak
This man is the reason I’m a Man United fan.
Same here
What the guy narrating the video
@@chchedda I hope you’re joking
Me to OMG 😭
Same. I was born in 2000.
The dude was world class for nearly a decade. I'd say he reached his potential. He wasn't as physically gifted as Ronaldo or an alien like Messi...but if we compared everyone to those two they'd all underperform.
Not physically gifted? He was built like a tank at 17 yrs. He made his debut when he was just 16.
@@sharkr3283 I used the word "as". Meaning he is gifted physically, just not to the level of a ronaldo (power, speed, jumping abilty, etc) Rooney was always powerful. He lost his position for the most part because he was too slow. Ronaldo started as a faster player, and kept that speed longer into his career.
@@hey_mr_wallace2323 He lost speed because of injuries,he started earlier than Ronaldo. He sacrificed his position for the sake of his teammates. SAF sucked out every ounce of youth left in him by playing him even during injuries. Off the field he was involved in partying,drinking etc..despite all this he was on par with Cr7 and Messi. It says a lot about Rooney. He suffered two career ending ankle injuries in a single season and never recovered from it.
you cannot say he wasn't as gifted as physically gifted as messi and maybe even ronaldo except for the height. He just didn't work as hard in the gym as Ronaldo and didn't take care of the body. It's not like he had a career ending injury. Classic english lifestyle affected him too.
He played out of position even under SAF just to accomodate other attackers. There isnt a single player in the world like him now.
Prime Rooney was someone to be feared of, after SAF left he became so unselfish often changing positions or playing in a position which doesn't suit him, he is a legend in every aspect for Manchester United and England, gave his everything for the batch
he was also very versatile for SAF. when new forwards were brought in he would typically be the player moved around the front line and midfield with little fuss.
Prime Rooney > Prime Ronaldinho
@@aayushkarnik7166 Unfortunately for you,you are wrong,Rooney's success lasted much longer and is more decorated,but Ronaldinhos ballon dor winning season will never be matched as long as we are both alive...probably even longer than that
And he also saw what were the Glazers doing to the club. True Red Devil.
@Craig zero Stats arent everything,that was a brilliant season and will in many peoples eyes be the best,but even as a Barcelona fan since I was born,Ronaldinhos smile,skills,aura,the way he just thought something up in half a second...and proceeded to do it against the best of the best while at the same time nurturing an 18 year old kid that will eventually score 91 goals,the very same 91 goals you speak of...you can have your own opinion,but watching Ronaldinho that season will never be matched no matter how many goals or assists someone has,I do appreciate your solid opinion however.
"He won everything there was to win at club level and finished as England's record goalscorer." WTF else is he meant to do?..... guy's a legend already
I agree he does not get the credit he deserves.
Some people for whatever reason just hate on Rooney
There was a time when he was considered to be better than Ronaldo.. after he left for real Madrid.. it could have been three 🐐 but circumstances
I agree what else was he supposed to win the championship 😂
@@AyushYadav-lf3fl Rooney was never Comparable to Real Ronaldo 😂. Come off it
@@AyushYadav-lf3fl Rooney vs Messi
The player with most FIFA covers. Man is a living legend of the game
That's a shallow way to measure success 😒
@@gkm2928 it is however a good way to measure his impact on the sport
@Green Mills 5 in a row I think
Jack wilshire surely?
@Green Mills Rooney and Ronaldinho appeared on the cover together 4 years in a row
He was and still is a manchester united legend . He was my favorite united player,when i was a teenager. He is always in our hearts.
Ditto, something different about supporting United back then. My first jersey was that ugly blue away kit with Vodafone on it. I didn’t care if we were winning or losing there was just so much raw excitement and energy. Now everything feels gimmicky and commercial. Or maybe I’ve just become older and the glamor has worn of 🤷♂️
His impeccable work effort eventually took a toll on his body (see Schweinsteiger, Bastian).
Rooney, Wayne
I mean, other guys have had really long careers and are simultaneously some of the hardest working guys out there. Mark Messier in Ice Hockey, Ichiro Suzuki in Baseball, Tom Brady in American Football. You just need to have a routine and a regimen you stick too.
I think it was more an unhealthy lifestyle, because we’ve seen very hardworking footballers still going strong at an old age (Zlatan, Buffon, etc)
@@abdulrahimmohammed9110 Have Zlatan or Buffon ever consistently sprint back to defend?
@@TheBrainSpecialist Football is one of the most demanding sports ever. Wazza's playstyle was also very depending on his physical attributes. See how Bale losing his speed cannot cut it anymore.
One of the reasons he declined so dramatically too is the fact he was playing top level football at full intensity from the age of 16, he stayed at that top level for 15+ years which is much more than 99% of players achieve. The reason Messi and Ronaldo have been able to do it longer is they’ve been able to adapt and change their play style - Messi has learnt how and when to use his bursts of pace most effectively to save energy (hence why you don’t see him making the 50 yard sprints and dribbles you used to see several times a game) and Ronaldo has changed from a winger constantly running at defences into a top level poacher who relies on his positioning more than his pace. Rooney’s style of play relied so much on his intensity and tenacity that as soon as he started declining physically he was bound to decline rapidly as a player. He is, however, still an incredible passer and brilliant behind a dead ball and is a good defensive midfielder at Championship level.
I'd like to hear more of what Mr Snrub thinks
I made a similar post regarding the goats. Their teams have also been a massive help, as Ronaldo has moved into more of a 9 role at juve, and Messi hasn't had to run back on defense for years. Give Rooney that same kind of treatment and lower his defensive duties earlier in his career, and I think he hits 30 goals a season regularly. Make him the focal point and then support him as he declines just like Barca, Madrid, and Juve have
na the reason is, he peaked at a very young age, he was an early developer. with a grown mans body at 15 years old. peaking at 21/22 and on the way down from there. nothing wrong with that and it was all of course out of rooneys hands and he had many years at the top. by the time he was 27/28 he was dropping off
This is so true, rooney always had the most high intensity runs and presses in every United game he played in. More than cr7, more than vidic, more than scholes, more than keano. So think about that toll it’s taking on his body and that was why he was so goddamn good was his intensity+tenacity plus the fact he had world class touch and skills made him unstoppable. But once his physicality tapered off half of his game did as well. He was still a world class player tbh but he wasn’t still top 5 players in the world
That's a lot of words to say he was a pace merchant that could barely kick his own backside in any other respect.
Rooney is the most underrated player of our team
Ridiculous. Rooney was never underrated. Ever.
@@GarethE94not by man utd fans but by fans all over the world he is. He was on par with ronaldo and Messi at his best
@@O2RiDeR_ Let's not stretch it. Rooney never scored 50+ goals in a season, let alone for several seasons like CR7 or Messi.
@@muathalhisham9393 Yeah, I wouldn't compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, but both are ridiculous generation defining players, as Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff, Zidane, Ronaldo, Zico, Puskas.
But I'd say he's on the level of Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Kaká, Weah and plenty of others underrated players in 00's who couldn't get the biggest limelight because they were caught between the fight between both of the great players above which is not bad company at all.
hes not underrated he'll always will be remembered as 1 of our greatest
Wayne Rooney fulfilled his potential. CR7 is an anomaly, not the rule of how 35 year olds should be playing
true
Players shouldn’t decline at 25
@@cummerchant542 players also shouldn't have peak at 20 yo
Most truly great players tend to hit their absolute peak around 26-29. I believe what makes them great and not good is their consistency up to and then past that point.
Rooney was way past his best by 28
His performances in the late 2000s/early 2010s are extremely underrated. If Messi and Ronaldo hadn't been putting up crazy numbers in La Liga, the world would have taken notice of Rooney's form
The world DID take notice of Rooney.
Did you not realise he got more fifa covers than any other player?
He became englands greatest ever scorer.
Ronaldo and xabi alonso ranked him amongst the greatest ever players.
He definitely did get noticed.
Exactly. He was just not as good as the others. A mediocre player on a global scale, terribly overrated by a nation that has not won anything for 50 years.
@@dissect123 how was he overrated exactly ?
@@dissect123your just an England hater
@@timboslice8559 duh, literally everyone on the planet hates England (Englishmen included), especially the rest of the UK.
His selflessness was his ultimate Achilles heel, that stopped him from fulfilling his true potential.
Still the numbers, the trophies he has won, shows how good he still was.
On the pitch he gave his everything. Off it, he drank excessively. Didn't keep fit. Did not hit the gym enough. Made bad personal decisions. All things that contributed to his downfall.
When selflessness is spoken about with Rooney, it is really a lack of tactical understanding or discipline. In his younger days, he would roam around the pitch a million miles an hour trying to do it all. Ronaldo wait in the final third for the ball to come to him, and then score. Ferguson said that Rooney needs to focus on playing in the final third. As mentioned in the other comment, Rooney wasn't disciplined off the pitch. In addition, team mates often talk about the after hours training that Ronaldo would do on the pitch or in the gym. I haven't heard that about Rooney. Rooney was sacrificed by Ferguson because Ronaldo became a better player.
not fair to look a things that way, football is a team game after all! :)
Short answer: Injuries, injuries, injuries
But when he was in his prime, especially in his early 20s he was a tenacious footballer who plays hard and runs at every counter attack
But that seems to change when he became captain of Man United and the fiery in his game died down
but when it came to slide tackling Rooney was always a force, literally. He could break an opponent just for the fun of it.
True
@Dave Byrne Exactly, he was known to get absolutely wasted in Liverpool on a regular basis. He usually went out twice a week for a big sesh.
Ronaldo was/is virtually teetotal and always the first and last player on the training pitch. He also sleep 9 hours a night, whereas Rooney is known to be an insomniac.
Diet wise, Ronaldo is a 'functional' eater, he doesn't touch refined sugars and only has complex carbs. He stretches and does both yoga and pilates and he meditates twice a day (Transcendental Meditation). He also only spends about 40 minutes on his phone per day.
These are reasons why Ronaldo looks 25 and is still world class at almost 36, while Rooney at about a year younger looks about 40 and his legs went after 28. He still has technical quality, but is immobile (as in his legs have gone, not the name of the Italian striker!)
still had the same passion but his legs were gone by then
It changed when he started dropping deeper after Scholes first retired, he didn't have the ability to play like that...and also he was still a striker so it fucked up the team having him drop deep
Saw my mate
The other day
He said to me he saw the white Pele
So I asked
Who is he
He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney, Wayne Rooney
He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney
don't think this song gonna go well in 2020, saying Pele white???? that racist cause there only one Pele and he ain't white
@@MeazurAli stop tryna change history this song was sung for 5-10 years with not a racist allegation in sight...
@@MeazurAli shut up man
@@MeazurAli its saying rooney is white. Ie pele is black so therefore rooney is the ‘white pele’ as a comparison, being similar in talent but not colour.
@@MeazurAli oh stfu, literally no one has taken offence to that
The David Moyes animated character is terrifying
just like his strategy
What about the Kevin Campbell one
drawn by Panini cheapskates guy.
My Therapist: The tifo -animated David Moyes is not real, it can't hurt you
Tifo-animated David Moyes:
somehow still looks better than that bastard irl
His humility makes him incredible
Not when he was a serial cheat to his pregnant wife, or blackmailing Alex Ferguson in public over his contract.
@@lulnug humility on the pitch 🤡🤡🤡
dude he's already 35, he didn't need to prove anything anymore.
The right answer.
You obviously never watched him at derby then. He’s been unbelievably poor this season. Almost like he wanted to sabotage us to get a free shot as a manager. I’ve been really disappointed with him even if he didn’t have anything else to prove
@@bradkeeling8645 I know the current situation at Derby. My point is that time has got the better of him, so It's kinda dumb for people to hope for the same performance of him like in ManU. Then again, instead of making chaos at Derby he should've just retired at MLS and taking coaching staff gig somewhere else.
@@musyarofah1 I agree with the second point. But I think if you even watch a few clips of him at derby. He’s been probably our worst player this season. It’s nothing do to with his fitness and no one expected him to be the player he was at Man U. Just making a simple 10 yard pass in the middle of the park would have been nice to see him make this season, and I’m not even kidding. He just doesn’t have the desire that was the problem
@@bradkeeling8645 I don't think Cocu's tactics helped the situation but I get your point
He is one of the greatest players of this century who doesn't get the respect he deserves because he was unselfish enough to always put his team ahead of personal glory.
He is my idol✨ no matter what people say.... He is still my inspiration 💕🔥🔥
Wayne Rooney being one of my favorite United players
I'm really glad this was accurate
In my view he was a victim of his own attacking versatility, he could play so many roles the attack was never built around him and he just had to do what was needed for the team, incredible player
Apt! 👍
Wayne Rooney is the reason I fell in love with football. And in turn fell in love with Man Utd. Love this man
some just have earlier peaks than others, his was extremely early. Amazing player still
@Craig zero people wanted more goals from him but forget that he played as midfielder. If he still played as striker, man can score many bangers.
@Craig zero He was 27 going into that season. And that was his last decent season even though the team finished 7th
When did age 28/29 become early to peak for a striker?
@@williamgrant4981 Rooney was way past his peak by age 28/29 he wasn’t even hm first choice striker for man U anymore, he peaked around 26
1:14 that line up gave me goosebumps
One of the best teams in the world then on paper. But club rivalry meant that the players didn't get on and couldn't play as a team. Also trying to fit Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard in the same 11 never helped. England are far more of a team now even if the players aren't anywhere near as good, excluding Harry Kane. Hopefully the likes of Foden, Sancho and Grealish can do the business for England in the coming years.
Absolute legend. His bicycle kick against man city is still the best goal of the entire premier league. One he got older he couldn't play the same young mans game that he use to, but he is always an incredible player in my heart.
also, he's not 'seeing out his player career at derby', he's a playing coach. He basically took the job as a transition to being a coach and hes been doing a pretty good job.
Rooney is that type of player u would love to have in ur team... Is flexible to change his position... Can give beautiful assists... Can tackle well... And his scoring abilities r insane... Freekicks.. Volleys... Bicycle kicks... Goals from ur own half... Everything.. Apart from all this he was a great team player... Never selfish.. A captain... And a true Red Devil✨
He physically matured quickly and lost a lot of pace which took away from his X factor and turned him into a more supportive player. He was a very consistent goal scorer for one particular season (2010), but was never the same when returning from injury despite some special moments
Too much quality (this channel's videos), I almost cried
Wasn’t a Rooney fan but what he’s done this season with Derby is amazing considering all their problems, and the fact he’s stuck with them when many others would have walked away deserves much respect 👍⚽️
I was a kid around era 2004-2008, and a liverpool fan, but oh boy when it comes to liverpool vs man utd, hearing his name makes me spine tingling, especially when he strikes. He's really that skillful and legend
He made me fall in love with Football and especially Manchester United. My ultimate Legend ever🔥
One of my favorite players ever, LEGEND!
When I was a Kid, Rooney was my GOAT.
HE IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PLAYER, WORKING HARD, WORKING FOR OTHERS, FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE TEAM WHILE KNOWING U R BETTER THEN MOST PLAYERS ATTACKING, MAKES HIM THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALLER IN MY EYES
Tifo, I love your content, you helped me through quarantine as I binged your videos.
He was a beast in his prime, strong and quick and could score all kind of goal, (remember his acrobatic goal against city), most defensive striker I've ever seen, never shy on effort and sacrifice. He had vista as well, and a generous heart, allowing to play as a 10 in his late years. I 'd say he was a complete player with the mentality and spirit needed to win trophies. Man U, England and World Football salute you dear Wayne.
Wayne Rooney is the best player I’ve had the pleasure of watching, my hero growing up and had the potential to be even better than he already was, and he was bloody phenomenal already
@Chris Ikr😂
That last minute half line assist he got in usa was unbelievable.
Track backed
Won tackle
Long ball
Goal
Can you make a video about Ozil’s situation at Arsenal?
You can make a whole Netflix series solely about their last few years at this point.
Is that because he's a fellow Muslim?
Ní Síocháin Gan Saoirse stop bringing Religion into something where it wasn’t mentioned or it belongs.
He's best quality as a footballer is he's a team player even with quality he has. Not every world class player could be a good team player consistently. That's why Rooney is some of the one of a kind footballer that we see in modern times.
It’s simple: he didn’t take care of himself. His rise to stardom came at a time when players (especially Ronaldo) were starting to take their diets and conditioning a lot more seriously. But not Rooney. Later on in his career, he would routinely come into preseason out of shape and would have to slowly work himself back into it during the season. Eventually this lax attitude towards fitness (and his own relentless work rate during the actual games) took their toll on his body.
It’s a shame too, because if he did take care of himself better (and didn’t have so many injuries) he would arguably still be a quality veteran at a top club, like Zlatan at Milan. He was THAT good.
I'm a Spurs fan but Rooney - what a legend mate.
Bit funny starting the video with all of his accomplishments and then asking did he fulfill the potential 😂
at the end they compared him with Ronaldo and Messi, who are still winning trophies. He achieved a lot, but could he have achieved much more like them?
@@SantomPh what is much more? You can't compare club or country as that's not in one person's hand. Individual B'dor is the only metric one can say was left unfinished... Even that award nowadays is pointless. Entire conversation around the potential of Rooney now seems ironical and pretty pointless.
He should have competed with Messi and Ronaldo . That's the potential that was there
You do realize what means potential?
@@mesicek7 yep, it's a speculation with not much connection to reality. Potential (even in hindsight) is a bunch of would be/could be. It makes even less sense when the player being discussed is literally the greatest scorer in club and country's history.
what a legend ......i feel sorry he isnt recognised and honored as he deserves ............
Absolute legend. Am blessed to be able to see him regularly in his prime
He was an unsung hero during the Ronaldo era. He was equally as important. Watch those seasons where United won 3 Prem titles back to back and you'll see how he was one of the best players in the world
Waited for a long time.. Proper unbiased analysis and facts ... ❤️
One of the most talented and well rounded players to have ever played the game, passing, defending, scoring, controlling games and even as a goalkeeper. Even when he slowed down he was able to adapt his game and still be one of the best players on the pitch. Class
Always loved Tifo’s honesty and critical breakdowns 👌🏾
His debut hat trick plus that overhead kick against city are my standout highlights of an incredible career. As so many have said it shows how great the man was when it’s considered he could’ve done more. True legend.
It's insulting to say Rooney never reached his potential
Honestly he was on downfall trend at age of 28..others would be on their peak
It’s a compliment to how amazing he was and to his potential, that he could of been even better had things gone differently
I'd say Rooney peaked too soon, that made him also declined sooner.
@Craig zero he’s right tho you could clearly see him on a decline
It's a compliment
Having watched so many greats from his generation, the happiest moments of my life as a football fan came when watching Rooney play. Will never forget his Euro '04 goals, his 50th for England and all his goals for United.
Rooney 100% hit his ceiling, between 2007-2012 he was unstoppable, he just couldn’t maintain that level long enough to establish himself as an all time great
He's England's record goalscorer I think that qualifies him as an all time great.
@@r4h4al in my book he is, but to most he probably isnt because he didnt maintain his peak for long enough, under sir Alex he was one of the best forwards in the world (arguably more important than Ronaldo for united) and if he could just maintained that peak for a few more years he would have been talked about for generations, but as I said, still an all time great in my opinion
He is all time greatest
He should have left manchester united after 2011 that team was dead but saf somehow manged to win the pl in 2013
Rooney was more of a team player than any other player with his talent in the world. He gave it his all and played where the team needed him to. Absolute legend
You've said that ''Real Team Player''
His shots were powerful and accurate 🎯,
But he passed 👍🏼
A real team player he was 💛
Love from india
I became a United fan because of him. A servant for United and played every position he could. United captain, my captain, A Legend.
Beautifully said
Keep that same context when evaluating other players
Context matters
I remember injured Rooney playing 2nd leg vs Bayern Munich in 2010.
Particularly enjoyed this. More so than other uploads in the last month. 10 out of 10.
Thanks for the effort put into this channel all around. BTW do not ever change the narrater for youtube content his voice is perfect for this content!!
Thumbs up.
One Of The Best To Ever Grace The Field
The Best Supporting Player
He Would Have Scored 400
(Only if he wasn't made to sacrifice himself)....
He is far underrated than any football player he could have easily joined barca or madrid but stuck with united until they let him go to his boyhood club where he was still the best attacking player but slowly age caught up and he lost his stamina.
Hope he continues his career as a manager and in future might lead united again as a manager.
1:09 Tomasz Radzinski
Finally, tifo/umaxit gives a fair analysis of Rooney. I have been watching this channel for many years and this is the first time I feel they’ve done him justice! Good job.
It was the pints and the birds man. It has felled many a man including me
I dont know why but this made me cry..my boyhood hero..wayne you will always be special to united...
Becoming your club and country's all-time top-scorer just to be told you didn't fulfill your potential is quite the legacy to carry.
My boyhood and adult life hero, I love you so much, Wayne Rooney!
Lost his bite at almost his prime, the injuries didn't help but is still one of the greatest to play the game in recent history and will forever be my GOAT ♥️♥️♥️
I feel Rooney peaked in the 2010/11 season (the second half of it). The same season he performed a transfer request U-turn, scored that overhead kick against City, a hat-trick against West Ham after being 2-0 down, and scored in the champions league final against Barca. That season he still had his beast mode attributes, but was delivering all round big goals and performances without being an out and out poacher (as in 09/10) or workhorse (like when Ronaldo was in the team). He also linked up with Hernandez wonderfully that season.
Rooney was soo good soo young ! This guy made me love football ! ! ! It’s sad that people still underrate him, his playmaking ability and his attacking abilities was world class. Has the second most goals and third most assists yet people say he didn’t fulfill his potential.
1:11 i think youll find thats a picture of tim cahill lol
They said the wrong name.
Loved the last 30 seconds talking about Rooney. Will always be an icon of English football long after he finishes.
"Or EVEN Kevin Campbell."
*Kevin Campbell throws laptop out of window*
The word "even" is such a subtle insult
@@markmckillen3793 Especially since Campbell was pretty great for Everton. Talented striker.
Anyone that watched Rooney in his prime will never question or doubt is quality. He may have not fulfilled his full potential but that's because his ceiling was higher than most. In spite of all that he still succeeded.
Forever an all time fav
He got old, leave him alone.
No matter what, in my eyes Rooney is the real G.O.A.T. He makes me love United, he also made me love the beautiful game
He was one of the players considered to be maybe just as good as Ronaldo and Messi
...No he wasn't.
@@r4h4al ya he was
@@colin2729 maybe by united fanboys. He was great but far behind Ronaldo and Messi
@@claivy9579 Na his contribution at such a young age was incredible. He was better than ronaldo when they were both young
Lol Massi and cr7 are far better than rooney even henry is better rooney
As a Liverpool fan I must say Rooney was one of the players I respect. His ability and work rate is amazing
Man there was a time in the mid 2000’s when you had R9, Zidane, Dinho, Henry, Rooney, CR7 and Messi all out here that’s just flat out amazing we don’t appreciate that time enough I think it all culminated with the 2006 WC the crossing of two eras
This man deserves so much more respect. Its terrifying that he's accomplished all he has and people still question his credentials. He spent a large portion of his career playing out of position and still managed to become the top scorer for both Man United and England. Give this man his flowers!
I heard he smoked during the entirety of his career too. Crazy
.. and drank heavily. And probably also snorted a ton. If you live like a 70's footballer, you will have a career length to suit.
I'm 34 and English watching this makes me feel old. Legend in my eyes
"What happen to Phil Jones?" video please
Nothing. He was always a useless lump of crap. It was evident he was never good enough. United had and arguably still have a weird culture of keeping hold of duds. Why are the likes of Pereira still on the books?!
As a Liverpool fan, I have no doubt in my mind that he is an absolute legend of the game
Rooney: f*** I'm to old for this I'm 29
Vardy: I'm 29 mate it's cowabunga time
Vardy also played shit tier football until he was 25 and then came to the prem. The man lives on red bull and has shown he's an anomaly
The first player who made me watch soccer with sparkles in my eyes. Truly a player devoted to his team without any concern for his career
1:09 Tomas Rosicky? Are you off your head?
Filip Brnelić Tomas Radzinski. Think he was Canadian
I wasn't there sorry
Yeah I noticed that , poor research hey. little Mozart didn't play for the toffees, Tomas Graveson did though, maybe they meant him. He signed for Real Madrid lol
It's tomas Radzinski mate. Very good player agile as fuck.
He is the reason I sympathize with United the most in Europe. Truly legendary!
And we'll skip right over that MLS run
Tbh his MLS run wasn't even bad. Knowing how tired his body was, the man produced quite the highlight real, especially the goal he created tracking back when nobody else did. I'd say only Zlatan had a better MLS run but clearly the swede wasn't finished
Young Wayne Rooney was one of the most exciting players I've ever seen, every time he got the ball you thought something special was going to happen, and it usually did.
amend this, its somewhat disrespectful to wayne rooney.
I second this 💪
We are spoiled by all-time greats playing deep into their 30s in great form. Wayne Rooney was a world class striker for many many years AND one of the only offensive players that really did high effort defensive work in his generation. Many of his memorable moments were of his tackles (go see an early days FIFA videogame advertisements with Rooney - his scene many times were him scoring goals while physically battling defenders).
He ate fish fingers and chips.
Every day
Forever.
Probably one of the best and most honest video made on Wayne Rooney.
Fans either say he was overrated because he couldn't match Messi or Ronaldo but in reality he was always a Team player first and that always hindered him greating great numbers.
Here’s what happened, he got married and had kids and all of a sudden football wasn’t his priority anymore
His overhead goal against Man City is among the best football moments that I have ever watched
He shouldve moved to italy, since rooney have technique, intelligence, teamwork, versatility, but no physicallity
Rooney was absolutely physical what are you talking about? It's his physical play that wore him down early
I come from New Zealand and my family knows nothing about football. Seeing Rooney play as a child though is what made me fall in love with the game.