Fergie: Rooney The White Pele

Sir Alex Ferguson has responded to claims by Benfica coach, Jorge Jesus, that Wayne Rooney plays like a Brazilian or an Argentinian, by suggesting that whilst he is typically British, he is similar to Pele.

“I think he’s a typical British player,” said Ferguson. “There have been British players over the last few years, maybe for the last decades, who have similar great qualities that make them great players, whether it’s a Gascoigne, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law. The similarities are that the boy has great courage, wants to play all the time and has incredible stamina. These are added extras to the talent he has. In terms of a Brazilian, you’d say Pelé. He was a very aggressive attacker also who could look after himself, so can Rooney. They have similarities that way: strength, speed, determination, but he’s white, completely white.”