Wayne Rooney names key reason why Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe will never match Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney has claimed that Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe will never be able to match Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's levels. Mbappe and Haaland have been touted as the heirs to Ronaldo and Messi for a while now but Rooney believes that the two cannot replicate the two GOATs' feats.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated football for almost two decades and won as many as 13 Ballon d'Ors between them. They have shattered record after record over the years and are still playing at the highest level for club and country.
Mbappe and Haaland, on the other hand, have both done well in recent years but are yet to reach the levels of Ronaldo and Messi. Rooney was shocked to see Haaland allow Omar Marmoush take Manchester City’s penalty in their 1-0 loss against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
The former Manchester United and England attacker insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi would have never allowed others to take the spot kick. Rooney highlighted that Haaland gets affected by poor form, which makes him unlikely to ever reach Ronaldo and Messi's levels. Rooney said on BBC Sport, as quoted by Football 365:
“Erling Haaland is a world-class forward, but when we’re talking about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, there’s no way they’re giving that ball away. That’s what separates those two players from Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe and these players."
The ex-England striker added:
"They are selfish and they want to score every game. When he (Haaland) misses chances I think you can see it gets to him and it does affect him. Maybe the thought of taking a penalty at Wembley might have been too much for him. You never know, he’s a human being.”
Erling Haaland has suffered a big dip in form this season by his usual standards while also missing eight games because of injury problems. He has 30 goals and four assists in 42 appearances across competitions this season.
Kylian Mbappe, on the other hand, has enjoyed a pretty impressive debut season at Real Madrid. He has scored 39 goals and produced four assists in 53 appearances this campaign.
Lionel Messi looks back at his battle with Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi has revisited his long-term rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo in an interview on the Ballon d'Or X account. The World Cup winner acknowledged that the competition between the two helped both players to reach the highest level. While reflecting on his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi said, as quoted by the official Ballon d'Or X account:
"It was always a battle. In sporting terms, it was very beautiful. We pushed each other to be better because we are both extremely competitive. He always wanted to win everything, and so did I. It was a beautiful time for us and for people who love football."
The Argentine superstar added:
"He [Cristiano] always wanted to win everything and beat everyone. I think it was a really beautiful time for us and for people who love football. What we achieved over such a long period has great merit because, as they say, it's easy to reach the top, but the hard part is staying there."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated football for almost two decades and divided the football world in two sections. The former won five Ballon d'Ors while his eternal rival was the recipient of the same on eight occasions.