Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken candidly about his relationship with former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney and addressed the criticism he faced for not attending the funeral of late Portugal forward Diogo Jota.
In the second part of his interview with Piers Morgan, released on November 6, Ronaldo responded to Rooney’s recent comments comparing him and Lionel Messi. While Rooney praised Ronaldo as a “genius” and said he didn’t “hate him as much as people think,” he ultimately rated Messi as the better player.
Ronaldo took the remarks in stride, saying he respected Rooney’s opinion. “Whatever he says, it doesn’t matter,” Ronaldo told Morgan. “I can accept his opinion; I have no problem with it. Everyone has the freedom to express themselves.”
Reflecting on their time together at Manchester United, Ronaldo described their relationship as professional and respectful rather than deeply personal. “When we played together, we had a good relationship, but not a friendship where I’d invite him for lunch or dinner,” he explained.
“My relationship with Rooney is about football and mutual respect. For me, the word ‘friend’ means a lot—I don’t use it lightly. I’m very social, but many relationships end with respect, including mine with Rooney.”
The Al-Nassr forward went on to praise Rooney’s contributions to Manchester United, saying: “I respect him even more now because of what he did for the club. We won many things together. Whether he says I’m a genius or Messi is better, it doesn’t bother me. If we meet again, I’ll shake his hand and hug him. I’ve never been his enemy.”
Ronaldo also addressed the backlash surrounding his decision not to attend Diogo Jota’s funeral after the Liverpool star and his brother, André Silva, tragically died in a car accident in July.
“There are two reasons,” Ronaldo explained. “First, people criticise me a lot, but I don’t care. When your conscience is clear, you don’t need to worry about what others say. Since my father died, I don’t go to cemeteries. Secondly, wherever I go, it becomes a spectacle. I didn’t attend because the attention would have shifted to me—and that’s not what I wanted.”
He concluded, “People can keep criticising, but I’m at peace with my decision.”
