Former Manchester United ace Wes Brown has spilt the beans that there was “never one argument” between Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo following their infamous clash at the 2006 World Cup.
On Reach’s fresh Euro Thrash podcast, available on YouTube, Apple and Spotify, Brown revealed that once the two footballers returned to Manchester United after the England-Portugal spat, they simply “got on with it”. He also suggested that much of the drama was fuelled by the media and that the formidable pair just continued as normal.
“It’s football and you do things in the heat of the moment. And you know what never happened? There was never one argument,” Brown stated. “They just knew to get back to the club and to be the best players in the world. And we just got on with it.
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“The press took a lot out of it, but them two as individuals just got on with it because there’s no point in keeping on with stuff when it’s gone..”
During the gripping 2006 World Cup quarter-final between Portugal and England, an unexpected turn of events saw referee Horacio Marcelo Elizondo issue a red card to England’s Wayne Rooney. There was initial confusion until replays allegedly showed Rooney stamping on Ricardo Carvalho.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
With England reduced to 10 men, they would go on to lose the match on penalties. But the real drama unfolded in the aftermath of the red card.
A scuffle followed the decision, with United team-mates Rooney and Ronaldo at odds with each other. A seemingly innocent wink from Ronaldo sparked uproar from fans and media alike who interpreted it as an indication that Ronaldo had masterminded his fellow United player’s dismissal.
As a consequence, Ronaldo became widely villainised, and speculation about the potential awkward reunion after the World Cup at Carrington dominated the summer. Despite this, Brown concedes that any animosity had dissipated by the start of the new season.
“Obviously Wayne would have been disappointed at the time. But when they all got back two, three, four weeks later, it had all gone by then,” he added.
(Image: No credit)
Do you think Ronaldo tried to get Rooney sent off in the 2006 World Cup? Let us know in the comments section below.
Brown admitted that Ronaldo was indeed aiming to have Rooney sent off but insisted it was all part of the game, nothing unusual for the pair. He explained: “It was two lads and one was trying to get the other one sent off,” and added, “It’s as simple as that. And then winking just to say, ‘cheers mate, I see you in a few weeks back at the club’. That’s honestly what happened and they just got on with it.”
Watch and listen to Euro Thrash on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify with regular new episodes throughout Euro 2024