Zlatan Ibrahimovic Says Cristiano Ronaldo's Career Owes Much to Wayne Rooney

Zlatan Ibrahimovic once stated that Cristiano Ronaldo’s career owes a lot to one legendary Englishman and Manchester United icon. The Swedish striker argued that without Wayne Rooney’s hard work and sacrifice, Ronaldo might not have reached the heights he did.

Ronaldo's Rise Began at Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo first made his mark at Sporting Lisbon but truly became a global star after joining Manchester United. At Old Trafford, the flashy winger dazzled fans and helped the club win three Premier League titles and the Champions League before moving on to Real Madrid.

In Spain, Ronaldo elevated his game further, netting an incredible 450 goals in 438 appearances for Real Madrid. He also secured four more Champions League titles and two La Liga championships. Even in his later years with Juventus and Al-Nassr, he continued scoring prolifically. With 146 goals in 234 matches for Portugal, he holds the record for most goals by any male international player.

Ibrahimovic Praises Rooney's Team Sacrifice

Back in 2015, Ibrahimovic highlighted Rooney’s role in Ronaldo’s success during their time together at Manchester United. Zlatan said:

"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."

He continued:

"If I can’t play alongside Wayne, then I’ll just need to keep watching him on television. Great players have exceptional phases that last from between one to three years, it’s not normal that this phase lasts five years as in the case with Rooney."

Ibrahimovic's Time at Man Utd and Rooney’s Departure

Zlatan joined Manchester United in 2016, playing alongside Rooney during his first season. Together, they won the League Cup and the Europa League. Zlatan scored 29 goals and provided 10 assists in 53 games before leaving in 2018.

His admiration for Rooney went beyond just words; in 2013, Zlatan described Rooney as "a fantastic footballer" who works tirelessly for his teammates. He noted Rooney's strong mentality to win and how he supports others to score.

"As a player, there are no words to not say about him - he's the perfect player. Everybody knows what he can do, what he did, what he has done," Ibrahimovic said after playing with Rooney.

Interestingly, Ibrahimovic’s arrival at Manchester United coincided with Rooney’s decision to leave. Rooney later admitted:

"The hardest thing for a player is to understand you may be not at the level you were. I did 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 as Manchester United's record goalscorer with 253 goals. He remains the only player in the Premier League to have both 200 goals and 100 assists. It’s clear why Ibrahimovic held him in such high regard.

Upcoming Fixtures

• October 19, 8:00pm: Tottenham Hotspur vs Coventry City
• October 23, 8:00pm: Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest
• October 24, 12:30pm: Aston Villa vs Manchester City
• October 24, 3:00pm: Coventry City vs Fulham
• October 24, 3:00pm: Arsenal vs Everton
• October 24, 5:30pm: Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur
• October 25, 2:00pm: Manchester United vs Bournemouth
• October 25, 2:00pm: Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion
• October 25, 2:00pm: Hull City vs Brentford
• October 25, 2:00pm: Crystal Palace vs Newcastle United
• October 25, 4:30pm: Sunderland vs Leeds United
• October 31, 12:30pm: Chelsea vs Manchester United
• October 31, 3:00pm: Manchester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion
• October 31, 3:00pm: Hull City vs Ipswich Town
• October 31, 3:00pm: Coventry City vs Sunderland
• October 31, 3:00pm: Brentford vs Nottingham Forest
• October 31, 3:00pm: Bournemouth vs Leeds United
• October 31, 5:30pm: Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace
• October 31, 8:00pm: Aston Villa vs Fulham
• November 1, 4:30pm: Liverpool vs Arsenal