Rooney takes fresh swipe at Ronaldo after Portugal's World Cup exit against Spain

Wayne Rooney used his role as a BBC pundit at the 2026 World Cup to deliver what many interpreted as a thinly veiled criticism of former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, following Portugal’s elimination at the hands of Spain.

Speaking after the defeat, Rooney drew a pointed contrast between the atmospheres surrounding Ronaldo’s Portugal and Lionel Messi’s Argentina. “You always put Ronaldo and Messi together because they are two of the best players the game has ever seen,” Rooney said, “but the Argentinian lads seem like they’re all there for Messi. They’re all behind him. Messi has obviously been fantastic at this World Cup. I don’t get that vibe from the Portuguese players.”

Rooney also directed criticism at Portugal’s midfield, singling out Bruno Fernandes for failing to exploit the 41-year-old Ronaldo’s continued threat inside the penalty area. He argued that Portuguese players repeatedly chose to circulate the ball rather than deliver crosses to their captain, wasting a significant attacking resource.

The remarks are the latest chapter in a long and complicated relationship between the two former Old Trafford team-mates. Their most infamous flashpoint came at the 2006 World Cup, when Ronaldo was caught winking at the Portuguese bench after Rooney was shown a red card, generating significant anger in England. Despite reconciling and winning major honours together under Sir Alex Ferguson, tensions have resurfaced periodically since both left United.

During Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford, Rooney publicly stated that his conduct had been detrimental to the squad and unacceptable for a club of United’s stature. More recently, in 2025, Rooney jokingly mistook Ronaldo for former team-mate Carlos Tevez in a video — a comparison the famously proud Ronaldo was unlikely to appreciate.

Rooney’s latest comments stop short of outright condemnation. He acknowledged that Ronaldo remains a genuine penalty-box threat when properly served, framing his frustration as being directed at Portugal’s system rather than the player himself. Whether Ronaldo sees it that way is another matter entirely.