Rooney reveals the toughest defender he ever faced

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has named former Chelsea captain John Terry as the toughest defender he ever faced.

In a recent interview, the all-time leading goalscorer for both Manchester United and England, revealed that Terry's combination of physicality, aerial ability, and positional awareness made him the most challenging opponent of his career.

“Always thought I could beat him for pace, but he was so good positionally,” Rooney said. “Obviously he was very physical, he was strong, he was good in the air. He could match you physically… John Terry was the toughest.”

Rooney and Terry's rivalry was one of the most intense in Premier League history. As the captains of Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, they faced off countless times, with the stakes often incredibly high.

"Terry and Rooney battling in the air, one of Chelsea's central defender's strengths"

Their rivalry reached its peak in 2006 when a Premier League title was at stake. Rooney admitted to deliberately wearing longer studs in an attempt to injure Terry. "I knew I couldn't let them win the league," Rooney said. "I went in with studs up. They were legal, but they were bigger than I normally wore." Although Rooney's actions resulted in a nasty tackle on Terry, the Chelsea captain played on and his team went on to win the match.

A mutual respect

Despite their fierce on-field battles, Rooney and Terry have always maintained a mutual respect for each other. Both players are considered to be legends of the Premier League and their rivalry is often cited as one of the greatest in English football history.