Wayne Rooney Reveals His Top 5 Greatest Sports Stars Ever

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

0:29CFO. LinkedIn has a word for that. Bull spend. Now you can invest in what looks good to your CFO. LinkedIn ads generates the highest ROAS of all major ad networks. You'll reach the right buyers because you can target by company, industry, job title, and more. So cut the bull spend. Advertise on LinkedIn, the network that works for you. Spend$250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a 250 credit for the next one. Just go to linkedin.com slash broadcast. That's linkedin.com slash broadcast. Terms and conditions apply. Delicious spring gatherings start at Whole Foods Market. Shop the spring and bloom sales event with yellow sales signs throughout the store and serve your loved ones Whole Foods Market seafood, always responsibly farmed or sustainable wild caught.

1:25Explore vibrant seasonal flavors like their trending mango yuzu chantilly cake. Great for brunch or an after-dinner treat. Speaking of brunch, check out their deviled eggs, cold-pressed juices, and more. Spring is in bloom now at Whole Foods Market. As I'm sat there, he'd lean back and he was like hitting me in the ribs. In the end, I'm sat there and eating food. I'm like, okay, mate. She was the reason I started watching women's tennis as well. That's the truth of it. I love snooker. You only good at playing it? Quite sad this, but I actually play against myself. and put myself in snookers. You're number one.

2:02It's controversial, but for me, I absolutely love him. Right, the first thing I'm going to say before we start the show is I'm incredibly impressed at Wayne's dedication to picking this because we're going to do your top five sports stars of all time. And this has been hotly debated to the point where before we walked into the studio, you were still kind of, I'm in an hour, weren't you? Yeah, I was. It's difficult, obviously, to single out five athletes. I've actually got six now, as you'll see. But there's no footballers in this, is there? Yeah, that was the first thing that jumped out at me, but you've done it on non-footballers.

2:41Yeah, if I've done footballers, it would be Maradona, Messi and Ronaldo. Why, Pele? So I'm more Maradona. I feel like I had to choose. Okay, all right. So I didn't really want to do footballers because footballers would probably take up all the spots from that point of view. So I felt like I'd go into other sports. We can save that for the World Cup. As much as we can. Plenty more pods to come, guys. Don't worry. Okay, let's start with number five. I'm going to let you do number five first because I'm not actually sure what you settled on in the end. No, so I've split number five and this would be, this is arguably two of the greatest athletes of all time and there's debates.

3:21I know I've been in the States and there's been debates over who is better. so I've got them for Michael Jordan and Tom Brady at number five purely because and listen I get and I respect and I get them two are you know two of the greatest athletes ever but I'm not as into them sport as other people so that's why I felt like I had to have the mint or I've got them both at number five that's fair enough it's like yeah I think if if like Tom Brady was to walk on the street around here a lot of people probably wouldn't wrestle I think yeah I don't think what no I think now in yeah I don't in England it's gone massive as well so I think I think he's massive as well I hear you but I don't think you don't realise how big he is as well so I think just from the size of him you say that but if he didn't have people around him and he's just walking he's huge if he's just walking down Manchester you're not going to know that's him there's our first disagreement on this show no one's stopping Tom Brady but if you walk down you're getting asked for for 200 photos down there he's not getting asked for yeah no you would I think yeah you would There's our first disagreement on this show.

4:26You've been out in the US, and I guess maybe that's given you an added appreciation of just how big they are out there. Yeah, no, 100%, massive respect. And for what Jordan's done for basketball, for Nike, it was incredible. And as I said before, to go to the two of them, arguably two of the best athletes of all time. I met Michael Jordan in Portland years ago. We were at Phil Knight's retirement party. so I got to meet him and the aura he's got about him I don't know what stuck out how wide he was his shoulders it was massive so it was an honour to meet him got a picture with him Who asked you for the picture?

5:04I asked him I was do you know what I was actually more Roy Jones Jr was there so I was more impressed I was chasing him around I was chasing him around but obviously it's Michael Jordan what he's done for basketball and to go over to baseball as well but it's just Jordan in general and Space Jam yeah that's what I think of when I think of Jordan well that's the thing though like I think he went beyond sport and it went into a lot of culture I think that's where it was he put like if you look at the fashion world his trainers have gone through generations now like your kids probably wear Jordans and like I was wearing Jordan it's that kind of aspect of it as well it's just gone beyond the sport and his name is in all sorts of fields and it was one of the greatest documentaries ever, The Last Dance.

5:53You can't take that away from you. I know, I liked him that here in Rodman. Oh, yeah, yeah. Rodman is a madman. His daughter was at DC when I was there as manager. She was at the women's team, Washington Spirit. So they trained in the same, well, on the next pitch to us. And I think she's gone quite big now, I think, in the women's game. Brady, I think obviously I work with them at Birmingham. again the aura he has about him and and what he's done for for NFL is you know incredible and well yeah the phenomenal part about him is like he retired came back and he won another Super Bowl yeah was that with Tampa yeah yeah yeah he did yeah because that was the Glazers team yeah yeah let's not talk about those guys but no like to wear them obviously it was only a short period it was mad it was you know you've got the opportunity to work out one of the greatest athletes ever.

6:50And it's obviously didn't work out the way you'd hope, but still that respect for him as an athlete and what he's done for NFL is huge. I was going to ask him if you put him in for his work ethic. No, listen, I think it was just a different sport and a different way of you do things in football to NFL, but he's certainly one of the greatest. Did you ever get a chance to talk to him about his career at all? I don't know how much integration not really we had too much going on with Bermond but no listen I spoke to him before I went in as manager I spoke to him at length on the phone and we had to give him all details of training sessions team meetings etc give him a lot of information so it was more based on work than them ok let's go in with number 4 and this is one of my favourites number 4 I've gone for Serena Williams I really like tennis I love watching tennis I'm like, crap, I can't play her.

7:48By the way, but I really enjoy watching her and being fortunate enough to go to Wimbledon a couple of times. I was there with Andy Murray, one of the first time. But I just think Serena Williams is really inspiring. I think especially to women as well. I really like to watch the documentary she's done and the fact that she's breastfeeding before she's coming out to play in the matches and all of what you said about the culture and all the barriers here and Venus had to break down to get to where they got to as well it was really inspiring and what she's achieved I think it's 23 major titles she's won and to go on for so long as well normally tennis I know they all are now but in tennis it used to be like mid to late 20s to finish but all going on for so long so it's interesting because when the Williams sisters both started playing Venus was getting a lot more success.

8:43So once Serena started getting success, you were thinking, oh, hold on, like they're both good. And she sort of, like her sister was already incredible, but she sort of surpassed her sister. I think that's, that competitiveness of siblings as well. And when Venus was doing well, that drives, you know, you want to be better than your sister. And she went on to be better in both of them, the careers. It was crazy. And for me, I just think what Serena's done and it's inspired a lot of people. And for me, he loves tennis. And listen, I could have put Federer, Djokovic, Pete Sampras. Sampras was actually at that same party, the Phil Knight one.

9:23Oh, wow. This sounds like a wild party. And we were at the party the night before. Then we went in and we got introduced into this arena thing. And he got the biggest cheer out of everyone. Oh, really? Sampras. So there's so many top tennis players. But for me, what Serena's done, I think, is incredible. As someone that's kind of grown up watching, you mentioned her being a female. I think the fact that she kind of cut through, it feels like even the fact that she's made your list here, there's been so many incredible male sports stars, but we almost talk about her in the same bracket. It's the dominance.

9:56It was the dominance in her field. I think when Serena was at the top of her game, you knew there was nobody else coming close. She was an icon and she was kind of someone that I think a lot of young girls looked up to as well when there wasn't maybe too many role models? Well, if I'm being honest, she was the reason I was watching, I watched women's tennis. Yeah. Because I watched, obviously, the men's tennis and then she was the reason I started watching women's tennis as well. That's the truth of it. And so I think that is inspiring itself and I'm sure that's the same for many people. Yeah, and it's an individual sport as well, isn't it?

10:29Obviously, you played a team sport. I just wonder the mentality that you must have to have when it must be kind of quite lonely. I know you have your coaching team and that around you as well. I think that, does that play a factor into her making the list? The fact that it's an individual sport? Yeah, that mindset has to be different, same with golf as well. And in any individual sports, it's the same. It's that dedication and that motivation to keep doing it when you've been at the top for so long to continue to be there. I think that's similar to everybody you're going to have on this list though.

11:02Do you know what I mean? There's got to be something in your head missing for you to be that focused on your school. Yeah, it's so hard to do. And I think for me with Serena's background as well, obviously she lost her sister as well. And that was obviously, I'm not talking like him. I know, but I actually spoke to her on FaceTime. I was with Bastian Twainstager and Bastian, I was telling them, obviously Bastian's wife at the time, Anna Ivanovic, he's a tennis player very good tennis player as well I was telling Bastion about Serena and it ends up me and Bastion and Anna and Serena Williams on FaceTime whatever so yeah that was cool too that's a bit awkward oh he's a big fan hey mate so no but no I think what she's done for tennis and culturally she's an inspiration I love the fact that you've met so many of these and I believe you've met the next one who's in at number three yeah Mike Tyson number three I just think you know the youngest still the youngest heavyweight champion there is it was 1986 was it?

12:11It was before I was born I was one when he won the world title and for boxing so different and raw and aggressive and controversial and everything about him and again his childhood growing up and everything he'd been through to then go and defy the odds and become this world champion. My top three are all controversial and they've all had issues, by the way. Which in some way is... That's why they're my top three because they've got that certain, that edge about them and really inspiring. Mike Tyson, he was just an absolute animal. I think if he didn't have the issues, you know, the great people talk about Muhammad Ali is the greatest ever, which, you know, he probably isn't from a lot of people's point of view but for me Mike Tyson was so inspiring I think like you mentioned there was a few issues that meant his peak couldn't have been a lot longer but yeah when he first came out it was like a phenomenon especially like for somebody in comparison to other heavyweights he's not that big do you know what I mean height wise but like to pack the power that he did we used to obviously in the 90s he was you know Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis, Bruno, all these top heavyweights.

13:34And we used to all go round to either my house or my uncle's house and sit round at early hours in the morning to watch the fights. And I always remember it was great memories of all... A lot of the time you'd fall asleep and wake you up for the fight and stuff. And then I was lucky enough to meet him. I went for food with him in Manchester. Went for food and it was just like in awe of him, really. You see him as present and sat on the dinner table next to him having food. How is he? Because he feels like he's a lot calmer now. Yeah, you can still see that edge of thirst. He actually, I was sat there.

14:11And as I'm sat there, he'd lean back and he was like, hit me in the ribs. And then in the end, I'm sat there and meet me food. Okay, mate.

14:23He was with a girl. So he was there, I was here and she was here. he was with the time and I remember he just leaned over me he got his fork picked a steak and put us on his plate and they had to steak and I was just like stay out of it Can you just rewind back how did this meal come about? He was doing a he was doing a talk in Manchester oh okay one of his managers or whoever it was got in touch and asked whether they wanted to go for food with him because I think they'd seen I'd spoke about him right about obviously my admiration for him and so of course I went. It's always the people though I feel like for yourself because I'm quite similar where it's you have memories of them when you were a kid and when you see them as an adult even doing what you've done you still look at them like you're that little boy, don't you?

15:13Yeah, you do. And remember when I lived in DC I remember I sat at the bar in a hotel and Sylvester Sloan walked past them around. A double take? No, I sure have. I didn't go through them but I sure have. but I couldn't believe how small he was. Oh, really? Yeah. And I think there must have been a boxing thing going on because Lennon Clewis was in there as well. Yeah. And then Lennon came over and I was sat talking to him, but seeing Sylvester Sloan walk fast, I was thinking...

15:45Roll the window down. Do you hear that? It's the sound of spring. So bring on the spring at the Honda Spring Event. Honda's family of hybrids and EVs are ready for wherever spring takes you. Check out the all-electric Honda Prologue, CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and Civic Hybrid, all from the 2025 Kelley Blue Book Best Value brand. For great deals, visit your local Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Honda dealer today. Based on 2025 Consumer Choice Awards from Kelley Blue Book, visit kbb.com for more information. This is in gold soon.

16:23In terms of, you mentioned before that he has an edge, and you've mentioned that in a few, the couple that are going to come as well without any spoilers. Is that something that you feel you had a little bit of, like an edge that made you what you were? Yeah, of course, and I think it's, a lot of it is where you're brought up, and your childhood and your upbringing, and that's certainly the case for Mike Tyson. I've watched all those documentaries and stuff on him, and to get where he's got to, you have to fight. Obviously, literally, he's had to fight his whole life in and out of jail and to achieve what he achieved.

16:57Obviously, a lot of discipline. But when you box that up, eventually, at some point, it's going to come out. It has in me, it did in Tyson. It has in people who've been brought up to fight for what you want and not giving to you, you'd have to go and take it. That's certainly the case, I think, with Mike Tyson. What's your favourite Mike Tyson moment? my favourite Tyson moment you know what it's not even him in the ring I was going to say my one isn't of him in the ring it's not him in the ring it's him walking to the ring it's his ring I thought he was going to say go in for dinner with him no my one was in Hangover when I saw him in Hangover it's him some of his interviews are incredible crazy but it's him walking to the ring against Frank Brunel and he's walking in and when he's walking in and there's black shorts, there's black boots.

17:51And you're just looking at him, you just think, I wouldn't like to be in that ring. And then the camera comes round onto Frank Bruno, and Frank Bruno looks terrified. And just that whole image of him walking in and seeing Bruno's face, because obviously Bruno's a big fella, top fighter, seeing Bruno's face, just his ring walk just always sticks with me. Is that one of the things you really love about boxing as well as the skill of support? That's really nice. I think if I was a boxer now, or for boxers now, I think if you just turn the lights off, have a spotlight on you, and have no music and just walk, I think that'd be so intimidating.

18:29The second best one Ringwalk I've seen is Tyson Fury, when he come into Crazy by Patsy Klein. I loved it, I thought it was brilliant. So you're not a fan of when they bring a rapper with them or anything like that? No, I just think them two ring walks have always stuck in me. Mike Tyson's ring walk, it was just, and he's sweat all over him and black shorts, black boots. So if you were to do a ring walk, that's what you'd keep it simple? Just no music. Pitch black and just a spotlight on you. Well, misfits if you're watching. Just a quick word on Atoma. Have you watched much of him and what do you make of him?

19:15because there's been a few comparisons from them. I was in Disneyland Paris the weekend, so I didn't, otherwise I would have went to the... It's not already expected to find my movie. I know. With the kids, but, well, I hope so. It's a podcast for another. So yeah, I didn't get to go to the fight. I would have loved to have gone. He looks special. I think he looks like the closest thing to Mike Tyson. Okay, on to number two. Number two is Tiger Woods, I think. he stays out of the news that's what I like about him he's not got an edge no but again for me and especially when I was living in the States there was always a debate about Jordan Tagwood or Tom Brady now I've put Tagwood here and not there because golf is a sport I'm not great at it but I play I play when I can and I admire the sport and again culturally what Tagwood's done for golf is incredible his whole brand I think he He brought so many fans to golf.

20:15His achievements is incredible. I was lucky enough actually to be at Augusta when he last won the Masters. I was there on the Sunday. So that was a great occasion, obviously, and a special moment to be there. Potentially, probably, his last ever major. So it was great to be there. But yeah, I think what he's done for golf is there's not many people who can completely transform the face of a sport like Michael Jordan done it I think yeah yeah absolutely basketball and Tiger Woods with a name like Tiger Woods though you're set up for success Tiger Woods you have to be the best at your sport but I think what's mad is you see you see Tiger from a young age and all the video clips and you know the dedication you see the same with Rory McRoy you've seen Rory McRoy on a talk show when he's about four or five hitting the ball into the washing machine and stuff and and you just think the dedication that's taken not just from him from the parents as well to keep taking them and stick with it because it's such a difficult sport to play at the top level and then obviously once he got to the top level the things he was doing and you know firstly win the trophies he's won but then completely his whole brand again with Nike changing the face of that sport I think it's incredible Yeah the first player I think of when you talk about golf is Tiger Woods.

21:41Even non-golf fans. You used to love the game as well, remember his game? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember that. We used to play that with England when we'd go away with England and then to get the back spin, you're like... That is pure nostalgia in it. But that goes to show, though, like how many people would get a golf game named after them? And also there's the comeback story with him as well. Yeah, obviously he'd come back and that's what I was saying when he won the Masters. I was playing for DC at the time and we were playing, I think it was Colorado, wait. I think we played on a Saturday and obviously Targo's in a good place and we knew I was going with two of my teammates on a Sunday I was thinking we could be there for history to get there on a Sunday and then on the last hole the 18th, obviously everyone's gone around the green and you know thousands of people there, whatever so we could have went by the green and got being like Rose back, so we thought we'll go, we'll figured out roughly how far he drives, so we'll go to where he drives it because there's no one there.

22:41And then he sits at the drive and his ball is literally where you are. And then just those three stood there. So we watched him his second shot in the three of us. So it was brilliant. Brilliant experience. You've met the rest of them. Have you met him? I haven't met Tiger, no. He left me when I was with EA Sports, sponsored by EA Sports. It was in 2006, I think it was. Remember the PSPs? Yes, yes. You've mentioned those a few times. EA Sports sent me one. And I turned it on and there was a message of Tiger wishing me a speedy recovery on me broken foot. It was a bit strange. But then obviously the Tiger Woods game.

23:21Did you still have that? I've probably smashed it up when I was playing the army game. Okay, now number one. I completely get it, incredible sports person, but I really thought Tiger Woods was going to be your number one. But your number one was? Your number one, it's controversial. but for me I absolutely love him as Ronnie O'Sullivan I just think I love snooker I've always loved snooker Do you know what I love about this right of all the sports you've chosen you've chosen one that can be played in a pub Well I just think it's quite a calm sport as well that doesn't strike me as very well Yeah but I think again obviously in snooker you've had some absolute legends Jimmy White Stephen Henry absolute legends in in snooker but Ronnie O'Sullivan comes along and just how he plays the game both hands left hand right hand taking risks there was the one where he was on a 147 and he missed the black on purpose to make a point about the money that snooker players were getting paid there should be more to get a 147 and his interviews are brilliant he looks like I've never met him actually He's got to have a bet.

24:39His interviews are brilliant. He's got a charisma, aura about him. And recently, he's just got a 153, the highest ever. In my opinion, he should be Sir Lonnie O'Sullivan. He should be knighted. Before we came on here, Wayne joked that he was going to start the petition to try and get him a knighthood. He should, maybe because he's controversial. And we're seeing all these, you know, MBEs, OBs, people get knighted for different things and some rightly, some wrongly, in my opinion. Ronny Oshill Sullivan, for what he's done for snooker and the titles he's won, going over to different countries as well, doing it, he should be knighted and maybe he doesn't fit.

25:21Maybe he's been offered one and he's not taken. He doesn't fit. You haven't met him, but have you ever been able to go and watch him live? No, never watched him live. You know, that's so funny because out of all of these sports people you'd think he'd be the more accessible one for you do you know what I mean but if you're watching this Ronnie Wayne wants to come and watch you and meet you no but I just think like if I'm in the house and snooker's on I can sit there for hours it's so relaxing I love watching snooker watching it I just think tactically how the game's played and for me snooker I just love watching it and he brings a bigger barrier in at the end as well but I think they've made a big difference to it as well and the darts as well you've made a big difference in that what I love with Ronnie O'Sullivan is whenever he's playing anybody is watching the other person just sat down just going what am I doing here and it's just like they're a spectator as well he feels quite real Ronnie do you know what I mean like he feels quite relatable that's what I'm saying you go back to you know Mike Tyson obviously Tiger Woods with his issues they've all got that little bit of edge and that's the type of person and then you go back to the football situation in Maradona as well you've all got this this edge which I think for these like elite athletes that gives them that edge to be you know great and for me and I get people might think it's controversial but I love Snuka and he's the top dog he's the best Are you any good at playing it?

26:53I'm alright I used to play when I was young I've got one at home but it sounds like quite sad this but I actually play against myself I thought you were going to say you have plenty I put myself in snookers is it right hand versus left hand so that's the good thing with snooker you can actually you can play against yourself just imagine Colleen where's Wayne oh he's just playing snooker with himself but no I've always loved it and you know the way you've got to think a few steps ahead and stuff similar to chess have you played it like when you're with United in Everson England is it something more with England when we've been away in tournaments who's good and John Terry it was me and John Terry we were partners and we were unbeaten let's throw in some of our names are there any ones that you were surprised weren't in there Kevin Muhammad Ali especially given how much of a boxing fan he is yeah I was surprised by him and how big I think it's because I know obviously you can go back I think it was a little bit before my time so I haven't really got the memories of growing up with Ali and listen Ali you know a lot of boxers a lot of people would say would say him as the greatest Floyd Mayweather as well you can put into that category but for me Mike Tyson I was going to throw in Usain Bolt as well because I think his impact on athletics and I didn't think of him straight away when I was doing this and then I was lying in bed last night and I was like he's a Man United fan as well isn't he yeah he's and he tried to play football for a bit as well he was playing in Australia he came in he came in I was in goal he was having shots at me he came into watch us train at United oh nice and he was having shots at me I was in goal any good?

28:37he was alright hold on you were in goal he's being nice doesn't want to disrespect for the greatest sportsman I'll see him I'll see him in a few weeks in a few weeks at soccer but no he was he was alright you could see he's obviously played the game just to clarify I didn't put him in because of his football I put him in because I think he's a pretty good runner but in Beijing that was like it was insane what he was doing it was like the gap he was leaving between that's what I mean I think it was it was like again he when I think of this I think of people that transcend just the people that watch the sport regularly and like for him everyone's heard of Usain Bolt and if you have to think of a sprinter or think of someone fast you kind of think of Usain Bolt and I think a lot of there's a few Michael Johnson as well yeah like obviously you say when broke all his records I remember growing up watching Michael Johnson and how he was and he's straight back when he used to running stuff.

29:28And then Johnny Wilkinson as well from rugby. So I think there's loads of different people who you could put in there and it depends what you like. It depends what era you're in as well, I think, and the impact it kind of had on you. Okay, then you told us your top five, but out of all of those, who do you think changed their sport the most? I'd have to say Tiger. What Tiger had done for golf was incredible in terms of changing the whole sport, really, and how it was watched and how it was broadcasted, the money which is involved in golf now. I think if you look at what I was saying about Ronnie O'Sullivan, there was great players before Ronnie.

30:07But in terms of, and obviously great golfers as well, but Tiger, what he'd done for that sport, I think he changed it. If you could go for dinner with one of them, who would it be? Well, he's done already, isn't he? Not all of them. Couldn't I take tomorrow, no? It would be some table, wouldn't it? And then bring Maradona back and bring him on.

30:33Welcome to the Wayne Rooney Show Wayne Rooney, Kay Curd and me, Kelly Summers Break down the biggest stories in the Premier League and beyond He's gone in quite quick but he hasn't caught some high touch Don't think it's the red cards Plus we'll hear the funniest and most outrageous stories from Wayne's career I was going into positions and doing things I shouldn't have really been doing But you do it because you feel like you have to and that helped us drive on and win the FA Cup. The Wayne Rooney Show. Watch your night, player. Listen on sound.

31:03It's 2009 and we're in the German mountains. A man straps himself into a car on the world's most dangerous racetrack. He whispers to himself, It's time to put my balls on the dashboard. As he starts the engine. In 15 minutes, he's in an ambulance, unconscious. In 15 years, he's a billionaire. This is Toto Wolff, Formula One's most powerful team boss and the breakout star of Drive to Survive. This week on Good, Bad, Billionaire, how Toto Wolff made his billions. Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.