Rooney: 'Tottenham once had a player even better than Dembele'

Wayne Rooney caught the spotlight by claiming that Gareth Bale during his prime was better than Ousmane Dembele, the recipient of the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

Tottenham Hotspur has had several world-class stars, with Gareth Bale regarded as one of its greatest icons. Recently, Rooney made an interesting comparison between Bale and Dembele, who just earned the prestigious individual award after an outstanding season with Paris Saint-Germain.

In 2022, Tottenham tried to sign Dembele from Barcelona but failed. The French star then joined PSG and quickly proved his quality with impressive performances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, ultimately reaching the pinnacle by winning the Ballon d'Or.

However, when asked to choose between Dembele and Bale, Rooney gave a straightforward answer. He told Prime Video Sport: "It's difficult, but considering achievements and trophies won, I would choose Gareth Bale."

In fact, Dembele’s stats last season were remarkable. He scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists in 53 appearances, even surpassing Bale’s best career season. Yet, looking at the full career, Bale’s accomplishments clearly stand out.

Throughout his career, Bale won 5 Champions League titles, 2 La Liga championships, 3 UEFA Super Cups, and 3 FIFA Club World Cups. At club level, the Welsh midfielder played for 4 different teams, scoring a total of 185 goals and assisting 133 times in 554 matches. These are numbers Dembele will need much more time to approach.

It can be said that Rooney’s opinion reflects the reality that Dembele is still proving himself, while Bale is already a legend with a huge legacy. Comparing the present to the past is challenging, but based on achievements, Rooney’s choice of Bale is well justified.