Wayne Rooney echoed the same sentiments as three Premier League legends on the so-called ‘GOAT’ debate around Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Sir Alex Ferguson is widely revered as one of the best managers of all time after his legendary managerial career in Scotland and England.
The 82-year-old iconic former Manchester United manager enjoyed incredible success in his native homeland before he arrived in the Old Trafford dugout.
Ferguson lifted a Scottish First Division title with St Mirren and three Scottish Premier Division titles, four Scottish Cups and a Scottish League Cup with Aberdeen.
His crowning achievement at Aberdeen was leading the Scottish side to the European Cup Winners’ Cup trophy with a famous win over Real Madrid in 1983.
Ferguson then hoovered up the major silverware during his time at United, including leading the Premier League club to 13 Premier League titles.
The former Aberdeen boss’ trophy haul at United included two Champions League trophies, five FA Cups and four League Cups.
Ferguson also became the first manager in history to lead an English team to a continental treble after United’s famous 1998-99 season.
The legendary Scotsman bowed out of Old Trafford for the final time as a manager in 2013 after capturing United’s last Premier League title.
Rooney on Ferguson vs Guardiola debate
Pep Guardiola, much like Sir Alex Ferguson, is considered one of the best managers in the history of football after his impact in Spain, England and Germany.
He lifted three La Liga titles and two Copa del Reys with Barcelona, including beating Ferguson’s Manchester United sides in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals.
Guardiola, who completed a continental treble with Barcelona, went on to manage Bayern Munich and lifted three Bundesliga titles and two German Cups.
The 53-year-old Spaniard has made a sensational impact in the Premier League and ushered in a period of dominance for United’s crosstown rivals.
Guardiola has lifted six Premier League titles as Manchester City manager, including leading the team to their first Champions League trophy.
City also became only the second English team in history to complete a continental treble, with Guardiola matching Ferguson’s feat in 2023.
Speaking to ESPN Brasil, Wayne Rooney admitted that there will always be “arguments” over who is better out of Guardiola and Ferguson.
However, the 38-year-old United and England legend felt the same way as Premier League legends Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher on the Guardiola vs Ferguson debate.
Rooney pointed to Ferguson’s incredible European feat with Aberdeen and asked if Guardiola would be capable of replicating the same with a team like that.
Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher echoed Rooney’s remarks about Aberdeen in the past, with Premier League legend Gary Neville feeling the same way on the matter.
Rooney picks out of Ferguson vs Guardiola
Rooney admitted that he thinks Guardiola is the best of his era, but the United legend still believes that Ferguson comes out on top due to his “incredible” impact.
“I think of course there are going to be arguments as to who is better, but I think people tend to just look at what Sir Alex did at Manchester United, and what he did at Aberdeen was incredible,” he told ESPN Brasil.
“And you’d ask the question, could Guardiola do that at a team like Aberdeen?
“There’s questions, there’s debate, I think Guardiola for his era is of course the best and he’s changed the way football is played worldwide … but yeah for me Sir Alex, what he achieved in the game is incredible.”