Rooney backs Messi to win a 7th Ballon d’Or in the Premier League

Rooney sees no reason why Messi won’t flourish in the Premier League and tipped him to win a seventh Ballon d’Or at either Manchester United or City.

Lionel Messi is allegedly pushing for a surprise exit from Barcelona amid frustrations both on and off the pitch, with Wayne Rooney’s former club United and City among those interested in signing him.

Reuniting with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola at Manchester City this summer, however, is being tipped as a strong likelihood for Messi. His friendship with fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero is another incentive.

A Premier League move would certainly arouse interest due to the league’s different characteristics compared to LaLiga. Especially in regards to the pace and physicality of English football.

“Lionel Messi couldn’t hack it in the Premier League”.

Record against the PL “big 6”:

C.Ronaldo: 78APP, 41G/A, 0.53 G/A per game.

T.Henry: 83APP, 54G/A, 0.65 G/A per game.

S.Aguero: 81APP, 67G/A, 0.83 G/A per game.

L.Messi: 34APP, 34 G/A, 1.0 G/A per game.

Easy work. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/4QfNkwFTBA

— Football Threads 📊⚽ (@FootyThreads_) August 25, 2020

But a five-time Premier League winner like Rooney knows the English top-flight inside out and is ideally placed to pass judgment on whether Messi has what it takes to succeed with either Manchester club.

And not only would he expect the 33-year-old to shine, but a record seventh Ballon d’Or can’t be ruled out either.

“He could come to the Premier League and be a Player of the Year. One million percent,” Rooney told talkSPORT.

“If he surrounds himself with Bruno Fernandes or Kevin De Bruyne, he could win a seventh Ballon d’Or.”

The former Red Devils captain, who sits second on the Premier League’s all-time highest goalscorers list on 208 goals and third on the all-time assist list with 103 assists, hailed Messi as the greatest of all-time.

“I know he’s getting older but he’s a player who no-one has seen before,” added Rooney, who now works as a player-coach for Derby County in the English Championship.

“Messi has everything – he can create goals, score goals, dictate the game, and is the best player of all time.

“He’s one of the only players I’ve sat there and watched and been in awe.

“He and Cristiano Ronaldo have set a standard which I don’t think will ever be seen again but, for me, Messi is just a different level.”

🐐 “Messi is best player of all time… he’s on another level [from CR7].”

🔴 “City and United want him. I’d take him at #MUFC!”

🏆 “He could come to the PL, win Player of the Year & get a 7th Ballon d’Or.”

Wayne Rooney would LOVE to see Lionel Messi play in England 😍 pic.twitter.com/4iM7jsAwIE

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) August 27, 2020