‘He failed’ – Vidic claims Rooney would’ve ‘achieved much more’ with Man Utd team-mate’s ‘mentality’

Man Utd legend Nemanja Vidic claims Wayne Rooney should’ve “achieve much more” in his career if “he was closer in mentality” to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rooney beat Sir Bobby Charlton’s record to become the Red Devils’ all-time leading goalscorer with 253 goals before leaving the club for Everton in 2017.

The former England international won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, three League Cups, a Champions League and a Europa League during his 13 seasons at Man Utd.

Rooney retired from playing football at 35, while Ronaldo is still playing at 38, and Vidic reckons the legendary Man Utd striker could’ve gone on to reach bigger heights if he’d been given Ronaldo’s mentality.

“You see Cristiano on Instagram, it’s all flashy stuff but he deserves it,” Vidic said on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five podcast. “At his age, 18, 19, to 21 to have that mentality to work hard, not go out, fight for your dream, the way he did it he deserves everything he got. For me, Wayne Rooney, he failed in terms of that.

“He is the one I think, if he was closer in mentality as Cristiano Ronaldo he can achieve much more. Definitely, that is my feeling. Physically he was amazing, technically as well. He is a great team-mate on the pitch, him and Carlos Tevez, as a defender you want them on the pitch, they worked hard for the team.”

Vidic added: “In one moment they are similar, the same. What brought Cristiano Ronaldo much higher was his mentality to change, to work hard, to improve, to have goals. I’m not saying Wayne didn’t have a mentality, but he played pure on his talent. He didn’t invest in his body, invest in extra trainings, the physical side.”

Rooney said back in November that Ronaldo’s behaviour at Man Utd this season had been “unacceptable” before the Portugal international left the club for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.

When asked why he thought his former Man Utd team-mate had called him out, Ronaldo told Piers Morgan in a controversial interview: “Probably, because he finished his career in his thirties. So, I’m still playing at a high level. I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him, which is true, but…”

Gary Neville also criticised the former Real Madrid striker and Ronaldo added: “It’s hard to listen to that kind of criticism and negativity about people who play with you. For example, Gary Neville, as well. They are not my friends.

“It’s easy to criticise. I don’t know if you have a job in television that they must criticise to be more famous, I really don’t understand.

“I think they take advantage of [my profile] because they are not stupid. It’s hard when you see people who were in the dressing room with you criticising that way.”

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