Wayne Rooney has named the best defender he played against in his career, mentioning Chelsea great John Terry.
Rooney was asked by the BBC to build his perfect player of players he played against, and when it was time to touch on defenders, the Englishman said, “John Terry.”
Why Did Wayne Rooney Name John Terry As The Best Defender He Played Against?
Wayne Rooney shared that Terry wasn’t the fastest of players, but he read the game well, and his aerial alongside attacking and defensive abilities were superb.
The 38-year-old said: “John Terry, he wasn’t the quickest, but he read the game really well, strong, good in the air, could score goals, and liked to tackle.”
Wayne Rooney And John Terry
Rooney played against John Terry during his time at Manchester United and Everton, with the pair fiercely challenging to achieve success for their clubs.
Wayne Rooney got the better of John Terry during the 2008 UEFA Champions League, where the latter infamously slipped, and Chelsea went on to lose the final to Manchester United via penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Terry also got his pound of flesh against Rooney in the 2007 FA Cup final, where Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from Didier Drogba.
John Terry and Wayne Rooney also battled immensely for Chelsea and Manchester United, respectively, in the Premier League.
Terry retired from football in 2018 after making 759 club appearances, scoring 68 goals and providing 28 assists in all competitions.
Rooney called time on his football career in 2021, having made 643 club appearances, scoring 313 goals and providing 164 appearances across all competitions.
Internationally, Wayne Rooney and John Terry filed out for England, with the former scoring 53 goals and providing 21 assists in 120 appearances for the Three Lions.
The latter also made 78 appearances for the European nation, scoring 6 goals and providing 3 assists in all competitions.
Who Is The Best Finisher Wayne Rooney Played Against?
Wayne Rooney also shared the best finisher he played against, naming former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rooney pointed out that Ronaldo is a wonderful finisher, and he has scored many goals in his career.
Best Dribbler Wayne Rooney Played Against?
The former Everton man also indicated that Lionel Messi is the best dribbler in the world, saying that it is very hard to play against the Argentine, noting that he is “small, quick, keeps the ball very close to his feet and can make you look silly if you get too close”.
Player With The Best Mentality That Rooney Played Against?
Touching on the player with the best mentality, he mentioned Manchester United legend, Gary Neville, stressing that the former England international wasn’t as talented as many players, but his mental strength was immense.
Rooney Names Paul Scholes As Player With The Best Footballing IQ
For Best Footballing IQ, Wayne Rooney named ex-teammate Paul Scholes, insisting that the English icon was knowledgeable about the game, dictated matches with a wonderful passing ability, and could score goals.
Rooney
Rooney, who was born on October 24, 1985, played for teams like Manchester United, Derby County, Everton and D.C. United.
Wayne Rooney is widely considered to be one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest English players of all time.
