Wayne Rooney has opened up about the enduring debate on who was the superior midfielder: Paul Scholes or Steven Gerrard . And his answer and explanation tell you everything you need to know.
Having shared the Old Trafford turf with Manchester United maestro Scholes under Sir Alex Ferguson's reign, they created magic on the pitch, accumulating a hefty silverware haul including five Premier League titles, two League Cups, and a Champions League crown until Scholes hung up his boots in 2013.
While Rooney never teamed up with Gerrard at club level, the pair were regular fixtures for England on the international stage. Rooney adorned the Three Lions crest from 2003 to 2018, overlapping with Gerrard who wore the iconic white jersey between 2000 and 2014.
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Despite the closer bond between Rooney and Scholes at United, Rooney rates Gerrard as the superior midfielder. During an episode of Sky Bet's The Overlap hosted by Gary Neville , Rooney was quizzed on the finest player he's graced the field with. Without hesitation, he admitted: "I think, honestly on ability, Ronaldo but then Scholesy as well... just what Scholesy brought to the team."
Not content with just that, Neville dug deeper, prompting: "Talk to us about the difference between Scholes, Gerrard, and [Frank] Lampard. You've had the best view of all three because you played in front of all three, and you've obviously worked with them."
Rooney stated: "They're all different. I think as an all-rounder, Stevie's the best out of them. I think he can defend, pass the ball, run, tackle, score goals, set pieces I think he's an all-rounder Stevie, he's the best from that point of view.
"From a goalscoring point of view, Lamps. The goals he scored were incredible from midfield. Technically probably not at Stevie's or Scholesy's level, but there's no one better at scoring goals from midfield.
"And then Scholesy, I just think how he adapted he was almost a striker when he was younger and to then go to a 10, to midfield, and then a deeper midfielder dictating the game I don't think any of the other two could dictate games the way he could. So all world-class players.
"I think Stevie could come to United and be a top, top player and almost do what Scholes could do, where I don't think Scholesy could go and do what Stevie did at Liverpool."
Gary Neville agreed, adding: "No, not in the way in which he did it. No chance."
Despite never clinching the Premier League title with Liverpool, Steven Gerrard's haul includes two FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Cup, and the Champions League during his tenure from 1998 to 2015, cementing his status as one of the Reds' all-time greats. Post-retirement, following a spell at LA Galaxy, Gerrard joined fellow football luminaries Lampard and Rooney in embarking on a managerial career.
Liverpool.com says: Rooney is right about just how impressive Gerrard was. He could do everything in the Reds' midfield and would have improved any team in the world. Scholes and Lampard were world-class, but Gerrard was another level.
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