Wayne Rooney has once again addressed his ongoing disagreement with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, standing firm on his earlier criticism and suggesting the defender’s performances have played a role in the club’s difficult campaign.

The tension between the former Manchester United striker and the Dutch centre-back first surfaced back in November. After Liverpool’s Champions League victory over Real Madrid, Van Dijk publicly pushed back against Rooney’s assessment of his displays, describing the comments as excessive. Rooney, however, refused to retract his opinion.

Rooney Defends His Right to Criticise

Speaking recently on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast alongside Sam Allardyce, Rooney made it clear that offering honest analysis is simply part of his job as a pundit.

He explained that he has faced criticism himself for speaking openly about players’ performances but believes evaluating what happens on the pitch is exactly what former professionals are expected to do. According to Rooney, players — even elite ones — must accept that scrutiny comes with the territory.

He also responded to Van Dijk’s recent suggestion that former players should be mindful of the mental health impact of criticism in the modern social media era. Rooney acknowledged that pundits can sometimes go too far but insisted that performance-based opinions should not be mistaken for personal attacks.

“We’ve Been There Too”

Rooney reminded listeners that today’s pundits once lived through the same spotlight. He argued that former professionals understand the pressures players face because they experienced it firsthand during their careers.

Drawing from his own experience, Rooney claimed he endured harsher public criticism than Van Dijk has faced, emphasizing that scrutiny is a long-standing part of football culture. He added that modern players benefit financially from the commercial side of the game, and with those rewards comes accountability for performances.

A Fresh Critique of Van Dijk’s Season

While Rooney did acknowledge a strong showing from Van Dijk in Liverpool’s recent defeat to Manchester City, he maintained that the defender has not consistently hit his usual standards this season.

Rooney suggested that factors such as age and a heavy workload could be contributing to the dip in form. However, he pointed to Liverpool’s current league position as evidence that key players — including their captain — have not reached their expected levels.

Liverpool’s Struggles Continue

Expectations were high for Liverpool after a summer spending spree approaching £500 million. Yet despite the heavy investment, Arne Slot’s side currently sit sixth in the Premier League table and risk missing out on Champions League qualification.

With pressure mounting and criticism intensifying, the debate around Van Dijk’s performances — and Rooney’s outspoken commentary — shows no sign of cooling down anytime soon..