Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are two names inextricably linked with Manchester United's most recent golden era.

Both players emerged as exceptional talents around the same time, with Ronaldo signing from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and Rooney arriving at Carrington from Everton a year later. Their achievements speak for themselves - Ronaldo won a Ballon d'Or during his six-year stint at United, while Rooney went on to become the club's all-time leading goal-scorer.

Their chemistry was evident both on and off the pitch during their five seasons together at Old Trafford, where they dominated games and played pranks on Sir Alex Ferguson and their more serious team-mates. But like all good things, the partnership came to an end when Ronaldo made a record move to Real Madrid in 2009.

Their friendship at United undoubtedly had its ups and downs. The 2006 World Cup quarter-final between England and Portugal proved a hurdle after a 20-year-old Rooney stamped on defender Ricardo Carvalho's groin, reports the Mirror.

Ronaldo, in an attempt to sway the referee, rushed over to protest as his club teammate was sent off. That in turn left an infuriated Rooney to shove Ronaldo, who sparked further outrage by winking at his bench.

Rumours circulated in the press as to whether their fracas might have seeped into the United dressing room ahead of the 2006/07 season. Yet reconciliation between the two came surprisingly swiftly as they cleared the air immediately after the final whistle, bringing them even closer together.

"I said 'I've no issues with you. Enjoy your tournament and good luck. I'll see you in a few weeks - and let's go try and win the league.'"

The duo accomplished exactly that, winning their first Premier League title that season by finishing six points clear of Chelsea. Their continued partnership at Old Trafford would continue to reap rewards as they clinched three successive titles and a Champions League medal.

Ronaldo provided Rooney with 14 assists while Rooney returned the favour 11 times in 205 appearances together. Their paths did not cross for some time, until Ronaldo's return to Manchester for a second spell in September 2021.

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His move meant their sons, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr and Kai Rooney, both represented the Red Devils' U12s team. But while the two youngsters were enjoying their time on the pitch and scoring goals with ease, tensions grew between the two legends.

Their relationship took a turn for the worse when Rooney, who had retired by then, publicly criticised Ronaldo's behaviour during his second season at United. Rooney expressed his disapproval towards Ronaldo refusing Erik ten Hag's instructions to come off the bench while behind late on against Tottenham in October 2022, labelling him an "unwelcome distraction".

The recently-sacked Birmingham City head coach stated: "The things he has done from the start of the season, it is not acceptable for Manchester United."

Ronaldo admitted he was "surprised" by the remarks. Known for not taking any hits to his ego lightly, he retaliated with a dig in his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, suggesting that Rooney was envious of his still thriving career and his appearance.

"It was one year ago, or six months ago," Ronaldo said in the interview which resulted in his Red Devils contract being terminated. "We're here in my house, he picked up his kids here and he invited (son) Cristiano to go to his house to play football."

He then threw in another jibe, adding: "I'm not going to say that I'm looking better than him. Which is true."

Ronaldo spoke brutally about his non-existent relationship with Rooney and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville as a result of their ongoing criticism, stating: "They are not my friends, they were colleagues. We played together, they're not coming here, we're not having dinner together."

When questioned on Ronaldo's remarks while still managing DC United, Rooney played down the comments by joking about the situation. "There's probably not a football player on the planet that isn't jealous of Cristiano," quipped the 38-year-old.

"The career he's had, the trophies he's won, the money he's earned, the six-pack, his body. I think every player, bar probably Lionel Messi, is jealous of Cristiano." What the future holds for the two legends of the game and their relationship remains to be seen, though it would certainly be a shame for them not to reconcile in the future.