Wayne Rooney risked upsetting fans of his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo as he heaped praise on incoming MLS player Lionel Messi.
The DC United coached reserved the ultimate compliment for the World Cup winner as he shared his excitement at the player's arrival in the United States.
Rooney made his own landmark move to the MLS in 2018, when he joined DC United after a brief one-season stint at his boyhood club Everton.
The Manchester United star later returned coach the side in July 2022, and has since helped the side secure eighth place in the Eastern Conference, and should they maintain it, a spot in the final series play-offs.