Wayne Rooney has said “I don’t hate” Cristiano Ronaldo and described his former Manchester United team-mate as a “genius” after admitting he can’t separate the Portugal forward from Lionel Messi in the debate over who is the better player.

Rooney and Ronaldo played together at United for five years between 2004 and 2009, helping Sir Alex Ferguson’s team to three Premier League titles and a Champions League during that period.

The two players famously clashed during the 2006 World Cup, when Ronaldo was accused of influencing Rooney’s red card for stamping on Portugal teammate Ricardo Carvalho during a quarterfinal tie that was eventually won on penalties by the Portuguese.

But Rooney and Ronaldo formed a devastating goalscoring partnership at United and the former England captain, speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said that he “loves” the Al Nassr forward rather than hates him.

“People think I hate him [Ronaldo],” Rooney said.

“I love him. I think he’s an absolute genius and what he’s doing is incredible.

“I love Cristiano and playing with him. I don’t think people realise actually how close me and him were.

“I think just because I’ve said that I think Messi is better than Ronaldo, people think I don’t like Cristiano.

“I absolutely love Messi, love watching him play and that was the only reason because I think Messi had a little bit more in terms of how he played and taking players on and whatever.

“Ronaldo’s a killer and people think because I’ve said Messi is better than Ronaldo, I don’t like him or speak down on him.”

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Having played alongside Ronaldo and against Messi during the Argentina captain’s peak years with Barcelona — Rooney’s United lost two Champions League finals against Messi’s Barcelona in 2009 and 2011 — the 39-year-old said it is impossible to favour one player over the other.

“This person might prefer Messi or Ronaldo, but no, I don’t think you can argue with any of them two,” Rooney said. “But then I think people think, ‘Oh, Wayne said Messi’s better than Ronaldo.’

“I get asked it all the time. I’m like ‘come on.’ The two of the best players ever, well, they are the two, in my opinion, the two best players to have played the game.

“And I just like the little flair about Messi and that’s it.

“Ronaldo? Cristiano is an absolute genius on what he’s doing. He’s just turned 40. What he’s doing is incredible and I take my hat off to him.

“I couldn’t speak a bad word about him.”