Wayne Rooney on modern defenders: Former Man United star says today’s centre-backs fall short of the greats he once faced
Wayne Rooney on modern defenders has sparked debate after the former Manchester United and England striker claimed the current generation of centre-backs is “nowhere near” the standard of those he faced during his illustrious career.
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Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show podcast, the 39-year-old reflected on his 19-year professional career, noting a sharp drop in defensive quality across the Premier League and Europe.
“In this current age, the centre-backs are nowhere near as good as the ones I played against,” Rooney told listeners, recalling battles against elite defenders during his time at Manchester United, when the club regularly competed deep into the Champions League.
While he acknowledged the ability of Arsenal duo William Saliba and Gabriel, Rooney was quick to clarify that the pair still fall short of the benchmark set by defenders of the past.
“Saliba and Gabriel complement each other really well. You can see them leading and talking — that is what you need. But would I put them at the same level as players I played against? No, I wouldn’t,” he said.
Rooney reserved special praise for Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić, naming the legendary Manchester United partnership among his personal top five defenders of all time.
The former captain’s remarks highlight growing concerns among pundits and fans alike about the evolving role of defenders in modern football — with many suggesting the focus on ball-playing skills has come at the cost of defensive resilience.
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His comments add fuel to an ongoing debate about whether today’s centre-backs would have thrived in the more physical, less forgiving era of early 2000s football.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
