Icons: Wayne Rooney

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Let's take a look at another football icon. This time it's Wayne Rooney.

Wayne Rooney

Early career

Rooney joined the Everton youth team at the age of nine and made his professional debut for the club in 2002 at the age of 16. He spent two seasons at the Merseyside club, before moving to Manchester United.

Move to Manchester United

He cost the Old Trafford club£25.6 million in the 2004 summer transfer window. He would have a fantastic career at Manchester United. He won 16 trophies and became the only English player, alongside teammate Michael Carrick, to win the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, League Cup, UEFA Europa League, and FIFA Club World Cup.

Rooney scored 253 goals for United in all competitions to make him their top goalscorer of all time, with 183 Premier League goals being the second-most scored by a player for any single club, behind Sergio Agüero Rooney's 208 Premier League goals make him the Premier League's second-top scorer of all time. He also has the third-highest number of assists in the Premier League, with 103.

Later Career

After many wonderful years at Old Trafford, he would return to Everton for one final season in the Premier League. On 28 June 2018, Rooney signed for D.C. United of Major League Soccer. His playing career would finish at Derby County.

International career

Rooney made his senior international debut for England in February 2003, aged 17, and is England's youngest ever goalscorer. He played at Euro 2004 and scored four goals, briefly becoming the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championship.

 

Rooney later featured at 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, and was widely regarded as his country's best player. 

He has won the England Player of the Year award four times, in 2008, 2009, 2014, and 2015. With 53 goals in 120 international caps, Rooney is England's second-most-capped player (behind Peter Shilton) and record goalscorer.

Solo awards

Rooney won the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year awards for the 2009–10 season, and he has won the Premier League Player of the Month award five times throughout his career. 

He came fifth in the vote for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or, and he was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI for 2011. He won the Goal of the Season award by the BBC's Match of the Day poll on three occasions, and his February 2011 bicycle kick against city rivals Manchester City won the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards Best Goal award.

This previous article looked at some of his best goals. Wayne Rooney's best ever goals.

Wayne Rooney the manager

Rooney was appointed the manager of Derby County during the 2020/2021 season. Despite all the financial problems at the club. he has impressed everyone with his ability to make the most of a bad situation at times. It will be interesting to how his managerial career works out. 

On 12 July 2022, Rooney was announced as head coach for D.C. United.  He replaced outgoing manager Hernán Losada.

During the 2022/2023, he was appointed as manager of Birmingham City but struggled to make an impact and was sacked after only 83 days.  EFL News: Rooney sacked by Birmingham (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)

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