Former Manchester United fitness coach has said that he always knew that England star Wayne Rooney will never be as good as Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo due to the differences in dedication they had towards spending time in the gym.

Ronaldo managed to become one of the best players in the world after arriving at Old Trafford in 2003. He left the club in 2009 for a world record transfer fee of £ 80 million and former United fitness coach Mick Clegg is not surprised. He has revealed that Rooney is one of the players who absolutely hates being in the gym, while Ronaldo is the total opposite.

It can be seen from their different body styles. Wayne Rooney is not only shorter than Ronaldo, but he is also not in the best of shape as well. Portuguese star Ronaldo has one of the fittest bodies amongst any footballer in the world. This is because of the time he spends in the gym working as per the instructions from the fitness coach. Clegg has also revealed that Ronaldo may even go one step further in order to stay in the perfect shape. Ronaldo has gone on from strength to strength since moving to Old Trafford, while Rooney has been on a decline in recent years.

“Wayne didn’t see the importance of the gym really. He’d say, ‘I’m here to play football’. I always wish I could have pushed Wayne that bit further. Wayne was always a big lad and was afraid of bulking up if he spent too much time in the gym. That’s what set Cristiano Ronaldo apart. He would do whatever training I prescribed and more. He lived and breathed football 24/7 and his dedication was phenomenal,” said Clegg. Rooney has been linked with a £ 30 million move to the likes of Barcelona and PSG.