Wayne Rooney snubs Cristiano Ronaldo for surprise choice of favourite Man Utd forward to play alongside

Rooney has opened up about his favourite attacking partnership during his Manchester United career, naming Tevez as the player he most enjoyed playing alongside. The former England captain shared the pitch with a host of world-class forwards under Sir Alex Ferguson, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Dimitar Berbatov, Robin van Persie, Louis Saha and Javier Hernandez. However, when asked who complemented him best, Rooney pointed to Tevez’s relentless work rate, aggression and understanding as the qualities that made their partnership click.

Rooney and Tevez spearheaded United’s attack between 2007 and 2009, forming a dynamic duo alongside Ronaldo that helped deliver two Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League trophy. The pair combined for 47 goals during that spell, embodying Ferguson’s philosophy of intensity and fluidity in attack. Though Ronaldo’s brilliance often stole the headlines, Rooney insists it was Tevez who brought out the best in his own game.

Tevez, who joined United on loan from West Ham in 2007, instantly struck up a connection with Rooney through their shared energy and tenacity on the pitch. Their ability to interchange positions and press defenders from the front made them one of the Premier League’s most feared strike pairings. 

Speaking on BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show, the United legend said: “Tevez, I really enjoyed playing with Carlos and I enjoyed playing with all of them, but with Carlos, there was a big thing in the papers when we were signing him saying that the two of us [were] too similar [and] we couldn’t play together.”

“And yeah, I think for the both of us, that really like, you know, we were like, ‘Okay, we’ll show you and stuff [like that],’ and we were aggressive and we worked hard and tackled as well, but then bounced off each other.”

“One of us plays the [No] 9, the other is a [No] 10 and we change it up and yeah, so he was definitely the favourite one to play with.”

Rooney’s remarks highlight how his chemistry with Tevez went beyond goals or statistics. Instead, it was built on mutual understanding, unselfish movement, and an unwavering desire to outwork the opposition. While Ronaldo dazzled with his individual brilliance, Rooney’s bond with Tevez was rooted in shared effort and relentless pressing – qualities that made them inseparable on the pitch

The Rooney-Tevez partnership was short-lived but unforgettable. Both players brought a similar intensity that made Manchester United’s attack uniquely ferocious. Their aggression, energy, and ability to constantly swap roles left defenders guessing, while Ronaldo’s presence added a devastating third dimension.

Rooney and Tevez complemented each other perfectly because neither was a traditional number nine. Both enjoyed dropping deep to link play, drifting wide to create space, and pressing from the front to recover possession. Their chemistry was instinctive – a reflection of their working-class footballing roots and shared hunger to prove critics wrong after early doubts about their compatibility.

Reflecting on his time as a central striker under Ferguson, Rooney also admitted he sometimes found the role less enjoyable despite his prolific form. “I had two seasons when I played as the No 9, scored 34 goals in both but I was bored,” he explained. “I liked to play football and be involved in the game… I was scoring goals and we were winning games, but I wanted to get involved.”

Rooney’s admiration for Tevez serves as a reminder of an era when Manchester United’s attack embodied work ethic as much as flair. While Ronaldo’s legacy as one of the greatest players in history is undisputed, Rooney’s reflections shed light on how footballing chemistry isn’t always about star power. Their partnership remains one of the most iconic in Premier League history precisely because of that mix.

For Tevez, who went on to represent Manchester City, Juventus, Boca Juniors and Shanghai Shenhua before retiring in 2022, the bond with Rooney remains one of the defining periods of his career.