Former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney has claimed that today’s centre-backs are “nowhere near as good” as those he faced during his career, though he named Arsenal’s William Saliba and Gabriel as the best current Premier League pairing.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show podcast, the 39-year-old praised the Arsenal duo for their leadership but stressed they don’t compare to his past rivals.
Rooney also revealed his top five defenders he faced in the Champions League, noting that his picks were all “clever and nasty.”
He crowned former Chelsea and England captain John Terry as the absolute best, calling him “horrible to play against” and an incredible, powerful defender who was a constant physical presence.
Rooney’s Top 5 Champions League Defenders
1. John Terry (Chelsea)
2. Gerard Piqué (Barcelona)
3. Paolo Maldini (AC Milan)
4. Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea)
5. Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan)
Rooney noted that his former Manchester United teammates Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic would have topped his list of all-time defenders, but this list focused on players he played against in the Champions League.
