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ESPN staff 7y

Wayne Rooney helped Cristiano Ronaldo thrive at Man United - Fletcher

Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has praised Wayne Rooney for being a "team player" for the way he put his own goal-scoring instincts aside to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to shine during their time together at Old Trafford.

Rooney equalled Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 249 goals for United after scoring in the FA Cup win over Reading at the weekend, while Ronaldo on Monday added The Best FIFA award to the Ballon d'Or he won in December.

The Real Madrid star won his first Ballon d'Or while still at United after the club's victorious 2007-08 Champions League campaign, in which Rooney mostly played a supporting role.

Fletcher, who featured in 223 matches for United before moving to West Bromwich Albion in 2015, believes Rooney deserved wider recognition for the selfless way in which he embraced his task.

"Everybody wants recognition. You always think you should have more," Fletcher told the Daily Mail.

"But he's broken records, captained United and England, won everything. He's up there with the best, every bit as influential as Ronaldo in his day.

"Those two went toe to toe one year, but after that, to allow Ronaldo to go forwards, Wayne fell back and was a team player and that was what they needed.

"People with good football intelligence will realise that. Others may not."

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