England icon Wayne Rooney and Tottenham star Xavi Simons felt the same way about an “incredible” Manchester United legend who was cut from a different cloth.
Spurs attacking midfielder Xavi Simons linked up with legendary former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney at Tottenham’s training complex for an interview.
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Rooney, who has been working as a pundit for the BBC since his time out of management, spoke to Simons about his career so far after his move to Tottenham.
Simons played for both PSV Eindhoven and Paris Saint-Germain before the 22-year-old Dutch talent moved to German side RB Leipzig on an initial loan deal in 2023.
The Netherlands international’s transfer to RB Leipzig was made permanent in the 2025 January window, only for him to sign for Tottenham back in the summer.
Xavi Simons explains to Wayne Rooney the impact that Man Utd legend Ruud van Nistelrooy had on his career
Xavi Simons made the decision to leave PSG and move to PSV in 2022, with Ruud van Nistelrooy being in the dugout as head coach of the Eredivisie club at the time.
The Tottenham star thrived under the tutelage of United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, with Simons netting 22 times and registering 11 assists in 48 matches.
Speaking on BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show, Simons talked up the experience that he had under former PSV manager Van Nistelrooy during his spell at the club.
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“Really important Ruud van Nistelrooy [was] for me,” he said.
“Because, yeah, he brought me into, I would say, the spotlight in [my] professional career.
“And, yeah, I’m really thankful for everything he did for me and obviously he’s been the one, like, he gave me as well the chance to go to the national team and make my dream come true at 19, playing a World Cup with my with my country.”
Wayne Rooney shared the pitch with former United striker Van Nistelrooy at Old Trafford and he was not surprised by the praise that Simons put on the Dutchman.
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“No, he was [impactful] for me as well, obviously, when I joined Manchester United to play with him, he’s such an incredible player and finisher,” he said.
“So, I used to at the time [when] I was young, so I was raw. I weren’t as, you know, technical as what Ruud was in his finishing and what type of finish.
“So, I used to stay out with him and watch him and ask questions like, ‘Why would you finish here? Why would you not do this?’ And he’d explain why.
“And so, he was really, really important to me as well and such a top player to play with.”
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Rooney hailed Ruud van Nistelrooy as a “ruthless” player and talked about the United legend’s ‘frustration’ around his emergence and Cristiano Ronaldo at the club.
The 40-year-old former United captain also admitted that he was surprised when he saw that ex-Real Madrid and Red Devils star Van Nistelrooy went into management.
“And then I actually never seen him going into management,” Rooney continued.
“No, I didn’t. He probably said the same about me. Never seen him go into management and then I see him when he come back to Manchester United under [Erik] Ten Hag.
“When he come in, I seen him a couple of times at the training ground. Sat down [with him and] it was nice to catch up again with him.
“But if there’s anyone you want to learn from on finishing, it’s really, honestly, incredible.”
Van Nistelrooy, who retired as a player in 2012, has been out of management since his ill-fated spell with Leicester City ended after the 2024-25 Premier League season.
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