Wayne Rooney asked to name ‘better striker’ than himself, Man Utd legend had to break silence over one clear pick

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Manchester United and England icon Wayne Rooney admitted that he could not put himself above one fellow legend as a better striker.

Wayne Rooney is widely regarded as one of the best Premier League strikers of all time and the 39-year-old had a sensational impact during his time at Old Trafford.

Legendary former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson brought Red Devils legend Rooney to Old Trafford in 2004 in a deal worth deal £27m from Everton.

Rooney went on to eclipse Sir Bobby Charlton as United’s all-time leading scorer, with the former Red Devils striker netting 253 times in 559 appearances.

During his time at Old Trafford, the United and England hero lifted five Premier Leagues, a Champions League, a Europa League, an FA Cup and three League Cups.

Rooney continued to play at United long after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and became club captain under former Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal.

The former United and England skipper’s spell at Old Trafford came to an end in 2017 and Rooney returned to boyhood club Everton for a second spell.

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Rooney’s praise for fellow striker

Following his second Everton run, Wayne Rooney went on to play for MLS outfit DC United before returning to England with Derby County for the tail end of his career.

Rooney called it time on his legendary playing career in 2021 and the Manchester United legend immediately entered the world of football management.

The former United star has been out of the dugout in 2025 after his most recent managerial role at Plymouth Argyle ended with his sacking in 2024.

Speaking to TikToker Ben Black, Rooney was asked to take part in a challenge where he had to remain silent until he heard the name of a better striker than him.

The former England international snubbed several prolific players, both past and present, during the question, including the likes of Didier Drogba and Luis Suarez.

However, Rooney broke his silence when former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo came up, despite admitting that he could have picked others before him.

When asked about Cristiano Ronaldo, he said: “Yes. That was it. I could’ve stopped at a couple more as well.”

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The ultimate praise for Man Utd legend Rooney

Everton cult hero Duncan Ferguson previously claimed that United and England legend Rooney was the best Premier League player of all time in his eyes.

“I stayed behind after training one day to have a look,” Ferguson told The Daily Mirror in 2016.

“Wayne was a substitute and came on and within 10 minutes he had scored two goals.

“I knew straight away there was something special about him. He had a great desire to get on the ball, he had great feet and he could finish.

“He also had the physicality and, of course, the talent. He was also fast and powerful so even at that age you could see he had everything you need to be a top, top player.

“He was the best 16-year-old footballer I had ever seen and still is, by the way. He would just get on the ball and run past people for fun.

“He was a tough kid from a tough area, but with a great sense of community. He had natural toughness and aggression and was made for the big stage.”

Duncan Ferguson added: “Wayne Rooney is a lovely man, a family man.

“He’s a totally trustworthy man, a great professional and, for me, he’s been the best player we’ve ever had in the Premier League.”