Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer Wayne Rooney criticized club captain Bruno Fernandes and the wider squad on October 23, 2026, describing them as “selfish babies” following a heavy 4–1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League, sportschosun.com reported.
Wayne Rooney Criticizes Manchester United Squad
Speaking on the United Stand podcast, Rooney targeted the team’s attitude and leadership after their recent struggles on the pitch. The former England international argued that players have shirked collective responsibility during a turbulent run that has left the club under mounting pressure.
“Bruno Fernandes said what he said, whether he was right or wrong you can debate that, but on the pitch you have to take responsibility. As a group of players you have to take responsibility,” Rooney stated in the podcast, as reported by sportschosun.com.
Rooney added that the current group focuses entirely on themselves rather than teammates, coaches, or supporters. “They are selfish. They don’t care about the other players, the manager, the coaching staff or the fans, they only care about themselves,” he said. “If they don’t get what is good for them, they throw their toys out of the pram like babies and blame everyone else except themselves.”
Como Defeat Intensifies Pressure on Michael Carrick
The latest internal friction follows Manchester United’s 4–1 loss to Italian side Como at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on October 22, 2026, in the third round of the UEFA Champions League league phase. Following the opening goal conceded within three minutes, Fernandes admitted in his post-match interview that the team fell into a defeatist mindset and failed to apply sufficient pressure.
That defeat compounded a difficult period for manager Michael Carrick. The former midfielder took charge on an interim basis in January following the dismissal of Rúben Amorim, eventually guiding the club to a third-place Premier League finish before taking the job permanently ahead of the current campaign. However, winless across their last seven matches in all competitions, United currently sit 13th in the Premier League table and 20th in the Champions League standings.
Defensive Complaints Followed by Captain’s Criticism
The squad has faced internal discord in recent weeks. A week prior to the Como fixture, defender Lisandro Martínez publicly criticized club hierarchy after a 2–0 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid, suggesting the club needed larger investments to compete at the elite level. Martínez later issued a public apology for those remarks.
Rooney pointed to Martínez’s initial comments as the catalyst for the current fractures within Old Trafford. “When Lisandro Martínez came out and made those comments, I said it was a serious nightmare because it would divide the dressing room. That was the start of it,” Rooney said. “We’ve now seen it from Bruno Fernandes, and you’re going to see it from more players because the players are not taking responsibility.”
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