While players are bound to be generally complimentary of their teammates in interviews, Ander Herrera’s respect for Wayne Rooney shines through here.
The Manchester United midfielder, who is line to make his senior debut for Spain against England at Wembley on Tuesday evening, has sat down with Sid Lowe for a very interesting interview in The Guardian ahead of the game.
Herrera has been in excellent form for United this season, fully warranting his status as one of the team’s most popular players amongst fans, as well as finally earning his call-up to the Spanish national team.
Juan Mata and Ander Herrera do everything asked of them and they do more https://t.co/cEMBYlMzlq
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 28, 2016
While Herrera’s stock continues to rise, Rooney’s decline appears to be continuing unabated. However, Herrera will not hear a bad word said about his friend, and offers an insight into their relationship off the field.
“I talk to Wayne a lot,” the 27-year-old said,
“He’s as futbolero [football-mad] as I am. He has so many stories. I love talking to him because he knows the game so well.”
When it’s put to Herrera that his teammate is entering the autumn of his career, the Spanish midfielder concedes that Rooney has a lot of miles on the clock, but his response speaks volumes of his respect and admiration for him.
Ander Herrera has a tremendously humble response to Paul Scholes comparisons https://t.co/ewQN8KESbe
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 26, 2016
Herrera also refused to accept that the 31-year-old is about leave the big stage in terms of playing for United and England, just as their teammate Marcus Rashford begins his own ascent.
“Well, ‘leaving?’ Let’s see. Look, Wayne’s been playing at the highest level from 16 I didn’t reach the first division until I was 20; he’s got four years on me.
“All that adds up. Sunday, Wednesday, Sunday, Wednesday, national team, Euros, World Cup, competing, winning, again and again. Fifteen years at England’s biggest club has an impact; people need to understand that. And he never disconnects, even when he’s not playing. He’s there, talking about how we can improve.”
“His attitude’s impressed me,” Herrera said, before going on to pinpoint the moment that cemented his respect for England’s record goalscorer.
During United’s 4-1 victory over Fenerbahce in October, when the team won two penalties, Rooney allowed two teammates low on confidence, Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial, to take the kicks.
Rooney did this despite being in poor form and just a few goals shy of Bobby Charlton’s goalscoring record for the club.
Herrera says the memory of those acts of selflessness will remain with him until he retires.
“Wayne’s a few goals from Bobby Charlton, yet we get two penalties and he gives the ball to Paul [Pogba] and Anthony [Martial] because they need the confidence.
“That shows you the class of person he is. The day I leave football, I’ll remember that. And last season he pulled our chestnuts out the fire loads of times. Is there an English phrase for that? Anyway, he’ll still do that: against Swansea he was fantastic.”
The respect between the pair is definitely mutual. Herrera reveals that Rooney joked that he was glad the midfielder wasn’t being recognised for the Spain national team until recently, as that meant he could eventually play for England if he received citizenship.
“Whenever Spain did not call me, Wayne would say: ‘Good: wait, you’ll end up playing for us,’ He was joking, eh. He knew my dream was always to play for Spain.”
