The Red Devils legend said he shared a “special connection” with Tevez during their two seasons together, describing their aggressive and hard-working style as the perfect combination that made them a nightmare for defenders.
Rooney names Tevez as his best attacking partner at Man Utd.
Rooney has opened up about his favorite attacking duo during his Manchester United career, naming Tevez as the player he most enjoyed playing with. The former England captain shared the pitch with a host of world-class strikers 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 highlighted Tevez’s dedication, aggression and understanding of the game as the qualities that made their partnership strong.
Between 2007 and 2009, Rooney and Tevez led Manchester United’s attack, forming an explosive duo with Ronaldo that won two Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008. Between them, they scored 47 goals during this period, perfectly embodying Ferguson’s attacking philosophy of intensity and fluidity. While Ronaldo’s talent has often grabbed the headlines, Rooney says it was Tevez who brought the best out of his own game.
Arriving at United on loan from West Ham in 2007, Tevez immediately bonded with Rooney thanks to their shared energy and tenacity on the pitch. Their ability to swap positions and press defenders from the front has made them one of the most fearsome attacking duos in the Premier League.
The Manchester United legend explains why his association with Tevez was so successful.
Guesting BBC Sport’s ‘The Wayne Rooney Show’, the United legend said: ” Tevez, I really loved playing with Carlos, and with all the players for that matter. But regarding Carlos, there was a big article in the press at the time of his signing, saying that we were too similar and that we couldn’t play together. »
“And yeah, I think for both of us, we said, ‘OK, we’re going to show you what we can do!’ » We were aggressive, we worked hard, we tackled well, and we complemented each other perfectly. »
“One of us plays number 9, the other number 10, and we alternate. So, he was clearly my favorite teammate. »
