2004/05 and the first half of 2005/06 Rooney was the better player
Agreed. Interrestingly, though I’d say they both were technically highly talented players who lifted their technique beyond most other players in the world through enormous amounts of technical training (Rooney thought it was endless fun and Ronaldo was endlessly driven), they had opposite trajectories when it came toteo things: physicality and directness. Rooney was a physical beast at 18, explosive, strong, relentless and agile, and only ever declined bit by bit, probably due to lack of systematic lifestyle and early hormonal development curve. Ronaldo, however, was quick an agile like hoards of talented youngsters, but due to his driven and systematic neverending improvement of his body, at 30 he was thrice the football athlete Rooney was at the same age.
The directness was not really in decline much with Rooney, however I have never seen a more instinctual goal-directed 16 year old. Every molecule and movementbore the shortest way towards goal, wether through a shot, a run or even a pass. With age and injuries he become slower, yet more sophisticated, hence a tad less direct, though also the later memories witness to how eager he was towards goal (bicycle goal, 50-yard-pass to RvP, half line goal ...). Ronaldo was partly ineffectual, focusing on skills and artistry) and first became really important at United when he laid off the stepovers and started doing 50-yard straight runs at full speed taking us from dfense to attack in five seconds. Then crosses, then goals. He has rationalized himself every year for fifteen years now.
It’s funny, at one time there were three supertalents in the world, and we had two of them. No wonder 2006-2009 was maybe our best era.