Nemanja Vidić, the former well-known defender, clearly pointed out five ways Cristiano Ronaldo was superior to Wayne Rooney during their teenage years, before Ronaldo became a dominant player today.
On 5 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Nemanja Vidić, the famous Serbian former defender, came forward to highlight five ways Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese striker for Al Nassr in the Saudi league, was ahead of Wayne Rooney, the legendary English striker, during their teenage years before the latter reached his current level of excellence.
Nemanja Vidić said, "Many see Cristiano Ronaldo on Instagram surrounded by luxury, but all of that came from his effort. Between ages 18 and 21, he had qualities surpassing Wayne Rooney: an incredible mindset, relentless hard work, discipline, no nightlife, and total dedication. I believe he deserved all he has achieved and his success."
"Don't get me wrong, I am not belittling Wayne Rooney. There were times at Manchester United when he was on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo. But as I said, those qualities I mentioned helped Ronaldo go further. The main point is that Rooney relied mostly on talent alone, without extra training or prioritizing his physical care."