Wayne Rooney’s blistering critique of Manchester United, delivered on his BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show on September 29, 2025, has sent shockwaves through the football world, compounding the drama surrounding his earlier comments about Liverpool’s £116 million signing Florian Wirtz.
The former United captain and club legend, who scored 253 goals in 559 appearances for the Red Devils, didn’t hold back, declaring, “This is not Manchester United. I cannot recognize the whole football club. I don’t see players fighting. I don’t see character. I don’t see desire to win. I don’t see ability. I don’t see match winners. Nothing gets me off my feet.” The remarks come as United languish in 10th place in the Premier League after a 3-1 home defeat to Tottenham on September 28, intensifying scrutiny on manager Erik ten Hag.
Rooney’s comments, aired just before Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League clash with Galatasaray on October 1, 2025, have stirred a hornet’s nest, especially given the timing.
His earlier claim that Liverpool’s Wirtz “damages” the team already had Reds fans up in arms, with the German star reportedly furious and absent from the 21-man squad traveling to Istanbul (alongside the injured Federico Chiesa).
Now, Rooney’s savage assessment of his former club has shifted focus to Old Trafford’s woes, reigniting debates about United’s identity and drawing inevitable comparisons to Liverpool’s own struggles under Arne Slot.
United’s 2025/26 campaign has been dismal. Despite heavy investment in players like Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee, the team has won only three of eight league games, with recent losses exposing a lack of cohesion.
Rooney pointed to the Tottenham defeat—where United led via a Bruno Fernandes penalty but collapsed after defensive errors—as emblematic of deeper issues. “Where’s the fight?” he asked, contrasting the current squad with the grit of Sir Alex Ferguson’s era.
Social media erupted, with #RooneyRant trending on X alongside 70,000 posts, some fans agreeing (“He’s spot on, this isn’t United”) and others slamming him as “disloyal” for airing dirty laundry. @MUFCFaithful posted, “Rooney’s a legend, but he’s piling on when we’re down. Ten Hag needs time.”
The irony isn’t lost on Liverpool fans, who are grappling with their own frustrations after a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace and Wirtz’s slow start. Rooney’s comments about United’s lack of “match winners” echo his critique of Wirtz, suggesting a broader disillusionment with modern football’s big-money signings. Yet, while Liverpool remain top of the Premier League and gear up for Galatasaray, United face a tougher road, with a Europa League tie against PAOK looming.
Ten Hag, under pressure, responded curtly: “Wayne’s entitled to his opinion, but we’re building something here.” As Anfield buzzes with its own tensions, Rooney’s words have lit a fuse across both clubs, with fans and pundits alike questioning whether either side can rediscover their former glory.
