Not even a legitimate question? You realise we are talking about the highest goalscorer in the history of one of the world's biggest clubs and as well as his national team? You also realise we are talking about someone who won everything that was available to him at club level including the CL? It's not like the OP is comparing him to Messi ffs.
Zlatan or Rooney?
- Thread starter Canagel
- Start date
Pretty much what I feel too. It’s a toss up really. CL vs National team success?
If Zlatan wins a Prem or CL with United then it swings in his favour. They're the two hardest trophies to win in European football and Rooney played a big part in winning 5 Premier League titles and a European Cup.
Zlatan has been successful in several countries which stands to him, but as biased as I might be, he hasn't won either of the top two yet.
Zlatan has been successful in several countries which stands to him, but as biased as I might be, he hasn't won either of the top two yet.
It all comes down to what you want to discuss: career, skill, or a combination of both?
Career? Fairly even. It all comes down to what you personally value, as their careers are very different. There is no right or wrong answer here.
Skill? Zlatan wins by a landslide. Excluding Messi and Ronaldo, Zlatan has pretty much been a top 3 center forward in the world for about 5 seasons combined in the last 10 seasons or so. Rooney only managed to reach that level once(2010).
Combination? Not a landslide, but Zlatan takes it for being the better player.
Who is more likely to be remembered 50 years from now? Rooney.
Career? Fairly even. It all comes down to what you personally value, as their careers are very different. There is no right or wrong answer here.
Skill? Zlatan wins by a landslide. Excluding Messi and Ronaldo, Zlatan has pretty much been a top 3 center forward in the world for about 5 seasons combined in the last 10 seasons or so. Rooney only managed to reach that level once(2010).
Combination? Not a landslide, but Zlatan takes it for being the better player.
Who is more likely to be remembered 50 years from now? Rooney.
Ibra will be remembered more because of his bravado and unreal highlight reel. On a fan level he's adored by pretty much all sets of fans.
As good as Ibra is I think there's a reason why he hasn't won the CL. He needs to be the main man and have all the play centred around him. Wiining the Serie A with Inter or Ligue 1 with PSG as the alpha is easy the CL is another beast. No surprise his two least successful spells were at Juve and Barcelona. He wasn't poor by any means there but didn't hit the same heights
Rooney was a better team player and I believe he will be most managers pick out of the two. His flexibility and unselfishness added to his quality made him such a quality player. Rooney was a massive hit at United winning the PL many times in the most competitive PL era and adding a CL and 2 finalist appearances being the driving force in one of these.
Rooney for me.
As good as Ibra is I think there's a reason why he hasn't won the CL. He needs to be the main man and have all the play centred around him. Wiining the Serie A with Inter or Ligue 1 with PSG as the alpha is easy the CL is another beast. No surprise his two least successful spells were at Juve and Barcelona. He wasn't poor by any means there but didn't hit the same heights
Rooney was a better team player and I believe he will be most managers pick out of the two. His flexibility and unselfishness added to his quality made him such a quality player. Rooney was a massive hit at United winning the PL many times in the most competitive PL era and adding a CL and 2 finalist appearances being the driving force in one of these.
Rooney for me.
Rooneys best seasons at United he hit 34 goals in all comps.
Zlatan would of done that last year in a average United side if not for his injury, in his first year in England at 35. Rooney is a good few years younger and he's completely finished.
Let's be honest, Rooney was great and had a great career but Zlatan was better.
Zlatan would of done that last year in a average United side if not for his injury, in his first year in England at 35. Rooney is a good few years younger and he's completely finished.
Let's be honest, Rooney was great and had a great career but Zlatan was better.
This
I'd say Rooney has comfortably more successful career (titles, CL) than Zlatan.
Rooney
Dinho was finished at 27
Rooney was one of the key reasons as to why we were so good in our best period ever - he wasn't one of those passenger players who racked up medals by just making up the numbers. Since 12/13 he's been rubbish (14/15 until he left he was so bad) but he was, at one point, a great player - up there with Zlatan at his best. Not only would I say Rooney's had the better career but, at their best, I'd have him over Zlatan, too.
Rooney had a CL makes himself to have a better career than Zlatan. Ligue 1 is too low during his generation.
Zlatan...
Legend at Ajax
Legend at Juventus
Legend at Inter
Legend at Milan
Legend at PSG
Legend with Sweden
I believe it is correct to describe Ibra as the most decorated actively playing footballer on the planet at the moment. At 36, he is still one of the best in the world. He is more iconic than any active player right now with the exception of Messi and Ronaldo.
In the GOAT conversations, while discussing players below that tier who could easily have been in the tier if they had a few extra key medals, I have heard the name of Zlatan pop up. I've never heard of Rooney mentioned even though he has undoubtedly had an incredible career.
What????? Rooney???
Remembered by who? United fans or the global football confraternity?
Zlatan for me. He is a greater global football icon than Rooney.
Don't get me wrong, Rooney is a legend but I believe Zlatan is far more iconic at a global level.
Zlatan has more career titles than Rooney. He just doesn't have a CL.
Rooney of course, after all, spent vast majority of his years at United.
Up yours, global football confraternity.
Up yours, global football confraternity.
Rooney was the best striker in the world for about 6 months in 2010. Zlatan has been there or thereabouts for over a decade, while winning a league every season along the way. He's still doing it at 35, while Rooney is being subbed off for Everton. It's not a fair contest imo.
Rooney for me. He won the CL. Also winning titles at PSG is like winning titles with Celtic or Bayern and he was a detriment to the success at Barcelona if anything. Zlatan is a fantastic player with a fantastic career, but his persona is a big part of that. Never making any sort of impact in the later stages of a tournament hurts him imho.
I do think Zlatan has been better for longer, but career wise, Rooney edges it.
I do think Zlatan has been better for longer, but career wise, Rooney edges it.
Zlatan is not a legend at Ajax. Just one in a very long line of great players that played for them and nowhere near the best or most important in that line. Cruyff, Bergkamp, Van Basten, De Boer bro's, Kluivert, Rijkaard, Litmanen among others are Ajax legends. Zlatan made a fantastic goal against NAC and threw scissors at Mido in the dressing room. Below the legends are people like Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Richard Witsche, Laudrup etc. Maybe a tier behind them is Zlatan. Not because he's not as good as Van der Vaart, but simply because he means very little to Ajax in terms of legacy, feeling and impact on the club.
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You must have very easy definition of legend if you think he is Legend at Juventus, Inter and Milan. Played 2 seasons at Juve before moving to their rivals when they were relegated. Played 3 seasons at Inter and 2 at Milan. No doubt at PSG though.
You can say he is at Inter as he played 3 seasons winning 3 league titles but that's pushing a bit.
I mean, well Zlatans career elsewhere is slightly overated. He was a very good player with some spectacular moments but could go awol in a lot of games. PSG he found consistency but then was playing in a 3rd tier league so it’s got to be Rooney who at his peak for me blew anything I’ve ever seen from Zlatan out of the water and also that champions league medal and the personal honours set him apart.
Is this satire?
Zlatan won leagues and cups in Holland, Italy (3 different clubs?), Spain and France. Until United he won the title anywhere he played after Ajax.
Sorry, Rooney was good, but Zlatan's track record is better and he has got more fight in him even until this old age.
He was underwhelming in last 2 seasons in Juventus. There was open criticism of his play during his last year when the gate for that discussion about his contribution in key games, especially CL matches, opened. He left Juve after Calciopoli scandal with Raiola acting like Raiola usually does, brutally forcing his move out. Juve had many great strikers prior, during that era but Ibra won't be remembered among the greats.
He also left Ajax on not so good terms, falling out with a number of players and with not so great scoring record. Inter was a very good spell, but they had their best season after he left. In Milan, he had a very good second season and that's it.
In terms of legend aura, I can really only see PSG and Sweden which is a little bit underwhelming. Too much of a maverick to be considered such. Maybe legend of the game would be more appropriate, but even than his persona has a large part in it.
I never heard Zlatan in terms of GOAT discussion, except coming from him. Rooney at his peak was regarded only behind Messi and Ronaldo in terms of forwards.
The rise of Zlatan in last few years and at the same time Rooney atrocious fall from grace (his own fault, though) has a big influence on this discussion imo. I still stand that I would take peak Rooney over Zlatan. 2006 - 2011 version.
Both have an outstanding career to look back on. I value Rooney's trophies more but I think Zlatan was the better player.
This is one of those question we will be debating till the end of days, the same as comparing say SAF to Mourinho when Mourinho comes to the end of his career as a manger.
At the end of the day both great players/legends in their own right, and it just depends who you personally favour. One has done it at one club/league the other all over Europe (same goes for Mou and SAF) but longevity has to go to Zlatan. Rooney hasn't been close to the Rooney of old for at least 5 years, (that is why SAF went out and bought RvP at the time) thus declining from the age of 27, Zlatan has only started to show signs of decline at 35, willing to come to the PL at 35 and prove many doubters wrong. Both have been great servants to the game of football and will be remembered as one of the greats to step out onto the field.
At the end of the day both great players/legends in their own right, and it just depends who you personally favour. One has done it at one club/league the other all over Europe (same goes for Mou and SAF) but longevity has to go to Zlatan. Rooney hasn't been close to the Rooney of old for at least 5 years, (that is why SAF went out and bought RvP at the time) thus declining from the age of 27, Zlatan has only started to show signs of decline at 35, willing to come to the PL at 35 and prove many doubters wrong. Both have been great servants to the game of football and will be remembered as one of the greats to step out onto the field.
Couldn't have put that reply any better myself. Rooney has scored some unbelievable goals.
Rooney is one of the very few English players of all time with real world class ability. Shame Rooney declined 30+ as he did.
Rooney would have tore the French and dutch league up as well.
Ibra has tested himself in more leagues, he was a disaster at Barca don't forget but done well overall, another post stated to the weakness of the Italian league when Ibra was at inter, which is a valid point.
I think people focus on the Rooney as we see him now rather than his career as a whole. Both failed Internationally, both have won a ton of silverware. Both class acts.
Rooney for me no doubt
I haven't followed Zlatan's career, I've watched Rooney's from start to finish at United so it is easy to say Rooney from my point of view.
Zlatan: Technique, power, leadership, professionalism, longevity.
Zlatan's lack of CL medal really sticks out for me esp given the calibre of clubs he played for, and it will probably personally be his biggest regret of his career.
Roar Strand still plays football in Norwegian 2nd division I think.
Highly doubt it.
For me it would be Rooney.
Put peak Rooney in that Barca side and I reckon he would fit in (perhaps not perfectly) but he'd be Suarez-esque and have that aggression, dynamism to dovetail with Messi and be a decent fit in most sides and an asset rather than a hindrance.
I don't think he'd have been left out in the cold like Zlatan was and discarded so easily (if he stayed fit etc). We are assuming they are both fit and at their peak for this discussion, and Rooney for me was the better big match player at his very best.. he could score in knock out CL games whereas I don't think Zlatan had that in him.
Rooney won everything there is to win in his club career and yes he flopped with England, but he got injured during his prime and when he was fit, he was past his best for England.
Zlatan for me, individually a great talent, but always lacked that top tier dynamism to be a good fit for the worlds very best sides and thus needed teams to be built around him, problem being he wasn't good enough to then lead those sides to CL glory.. but good enough for weaker domestic leagues (Serie A wasn't quite the league it used to be during his prime there and nor was Ligue 1 a real challenge). Thats not to say Zlatan here in his prime wouldn't have been immense, he might well have been tbh but if the question is who overall had the more successful career and was arguably the better more effective player at the highest level - that answer has to be Rooney for my money.
Genuinely think if Zlatan had come to england earlier, and played for more direct sides with more pace around him, he might have had a even more stellar career in terms of europe and debate would be more in his favour.
Put peak Rooney in that Barca side and I reckon he would fit in (perhaps not perfectly) but he'd be Suarez-esque and have that aggression, dynamism to dovetail with Messi and be a decent fit in most sides and an asset rather than a hindrance.
I don't think he'd have been left out in the cold like Zlatan was and discarded so easily (if he stayed fit etc). We are assuming they are both fit and at their peak for this discussion, and Rooney for me was the better big match player at his very best.. he could score in knock out CL games whereas I don't think Zlatan had that in him.
Rooney won everything there is to win in his club career and yes he flopped with England, but he got injured during his prime and when he was fit, he was past his best for England.
Zlatan for me, individually a great talent, but always lacked that top tier dynamism to be a good fit for the worlds very best sides and thus needed teams to be built around him, problem being he wasn't good enough to then lead those sides to CL glory.. but good enough for weaker domestic leagues (Serie A wasn't quite the league it used to be during his prime there and nor was Ligue 1 a real challenge). Thats not to say Zlatan here in his prime wouldn't have been immense, he might well have been tbh but if the question is who overall had the more successful career and was arguably the better more effective player at the highest level - that answer has to be Rooney for my money.
Genuinely think if Zlatan had come to england earlier, and played for more direct sides with more pace around him, he might have had a even more stellar career in terms of europe and debate would be more in his favour.
Zlatan.
He was usually the best player for his team, wherever he went.
Rooney has been the best player at United in, what, two seasons out of twelve(?). The other seasons he was part of the team, not the focus of it. Rooney's 'potential', 'missed oppurtunities' and general hype, especially in this country, stemmed from one impressive showing at a Euros in 2004.
He was usually the best player for his team, wherever he went.
Rooney has been the best player at United in, what, two seasons out of twelve(?). The other seasons he was part of the team, not the focus of it. Rooney's 'potential', 'missed oppurtunities' and general hype, especially in this country, stemmed from one impressive showing at a Euros in 2004.
In terms of trophies won then it would possibly go to Rooney. He won multiple titles in the toughest league in the world.
Rooney for me. United's all time goalscorer and won a CL.
I don't think that scoring loads of goals specifically for United is or should necessarily be a factor of answering the question: "which player has had, in general, the best football career?".
Yes it should. He's the all time goalscorer for one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world that clearly indicates the kind of career he's had.
Especially as he never even got really close and never really performed in the CL knockout stages. So Rooney wins easily for me.
Yeah that's true, can't really think of many standout performances or goals from him in the business end of the CL.
The quality or history of the team should be one of the factors, sure.
No arguments with that.
But while Rooney has scored loads of goals for one great team, Zlatan has also scored loads of goals, just spread out over many great teams.
Rooney has lonegvity, Zlatan has variation.
As I said before, Rooney was seldom either the leader or best player for us even during those seasons of scoring many goals. Zlatan was both for many of his clubs and for much of his career.
Rooney probably wins it if we are talking about trophy count or being part of a team/club.
Zlatan easily wins it if we are talking about an individual having a successul career in isolation of other factors.
What?? Zlatan is not an Ajax legend?
'Legend' does not mean the 'best' or 'most important'. A legend is 'an extremely famous or notorious person...' or someone who inspires a 'legend'.
That NAC Breda game alone (not to talk of his then record purchase, his many outstanding/unforgettable performances, his dressing room incidences, the controversies surrounding his sale, and his notorious periods at Ajax), easily made Zlatan an Ajax Legend. That famous goal, was arguably the finest moment of Zlatan's career. Booed at the start of the game and then he turned on his genius and brought the arena to its feet. Do you know what the banner Ajax fans put up for Zlatan when he returned to the Arena in that 2014 PSG game versus Ajax? 'Welcome back son of god'