Wayne Rooney facts for kids
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Rooney in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wayne Mark Rooney | ||
| Date of birth | 24 October 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2002 | Everton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2004 | Everton | 67 | (15) |
| 2004–2017 | Manchester United | 393 | (183) |
| 2017–2018 | Everton | 31 | (10) |
| 2018–2019 | D.C. United | 48 | (23) |
| 2020–2021 | Derby County | 30 | (6) |
| Total | 569 | (237) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000–2001 | England U15 | 4 | (2) |
| 2001–2002 | England U17 | 12 | (7) |
| 2002 | England U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2018 | England | 120 | (53) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020–2022 | Derby County | ||
| 2022–2023 | D.C. United | ||
| 2023–2024 | Birmingham City | ||
| 2024 | Plymouth Argyle | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Wayne Mark Rooney (born 24 October 1985) is a famous English football player and manager. Many people think he is one of the best players of his time. Rooney is the all-time top goalscorer for Manchester United with 253 goals. He was also the record goalscorer for the England national team from 2015 to 2023. He has played more games for England than any other outfield player. Rooney mostly played as a forward, but he also played in different midfield roles.
Rooney joined the Everton youth team when he was nine. He made his first professional game for the club in 2002 at age 16. After two seasons at Everton, he moved to Manchester United in 2004. There, he won 16 trophies, including the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League. He scored 253 goals for United, making him their top scorer ever. His 183 Premier League goals for United are the third-most for any player at a single club. Overall, his 208 Premier League goals make him the competition's third-highest scorer. He also has the fourth-highest number of assists with 103.
Rooney first played for England in February 2003, when he was 17. He is England's youngest-ever goalscorer. He played in UEFA Euro 2004 and scored four goals. He also played in the 2006, 2010, and 2014 World Cups. He won the England Player of the Year award four times. With 53 goals in 120 games, Rooney is England's second-most-capped player and second-top goalscorer.
Rooney won many individual awards, like the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2010. His amazing bicycle kick goal against Manchester City in 2011 won the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards Best Goal.
Contents
Early Life & Football Start
Wayne Mark Rooney was born in Liverpool, England, on 24 October 1985. He grew up with his younger brothers, Graham and John. John also became a professional footballer. Wayne supported Everton as a child. He looked up to the Brazilian striker Ronaldo.
Rooney started playing for Liverpool Schoolboys. He scored 72 goals in one season, which was a record. When he was nine, an Everton scout saw him playing. Rooney then joined Everton's youth academy. He even served as the Everton mascot for a big game against Liverpool when he was 11. In the 1995–96 season, he scored 114 goals for Everton's under-10s and 11s. By age 15, he was playing for the under-19s.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Everton
Rooney made his first team debut for Everton on 17 August 2002. He was 16 years old. He became the second-youngest player in Everton's history. His first goals came on 2 October, when he scored twice in a cup game. This made him Everton's youngest-ever goalscorer at the time.
On 19 October, just before his 17th birthday, Rooney scored a winning goal against Arsenal. This goal ended Arsenal's 30-match unbeaten run. It also made Rooney the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history. He signed his first professional contract in January 2003. He finished his first season with eight goals in 37 games.
In the 2003–04 season, Rooney continued to impress. He scored his 50th league game goal in December 2003. He ended his time at Everton with 15 goals in 67 league games.
Joining Manchester United
In July 2004, Everton offered Rooney a big new contract. However, he wanted to leave the club. He signed for Manchester United at the end of August for £25.6 million. This was the highest fee ever paid for a player under 20 years old. Rooney was still only 18.
Rooney wore the number 8 shirt at Old Trafford. He played his first game for United on 28 September in the UEFA Champions League. He scored an amazing hat-trick in that game. In his first season, he was United's top league scorer with 11 goals. He also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Rooney won his first trophy with United in the 2005–06 League Cup. He scored twice in the final against Wigan Athletic. In April 2007, Rooney scored against his old club Everton. He famously kissed his Manchester United badge in front of the Everton fans. He won his first Premier League title with United at the end of the 2006–07 season. He scored 14 league goals that season.
Becoming Number 10
In June 2007, Rooney was given the number 10 shirt. He said he always loved that number. He helped United win the Premier League again in the 2007–08 season. They also won the UEFA Champions League that year, beating Chelsea in the final.
In December 2008, Rooney scored twice in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final. He then scored the winning goal in the final. He was named the best player in the tournament. Rooney finished the 2008–09 season with 20 goals in all competitions.
The 2009–10 season was fantastic for Rooney. He scored his 100th goal for Manchester United in August 2009. On 23 January 2010, he scored all four goals in a 4–0 win against Hull. This was the first time he scored four goals in one game. He also scored a winning goal against Manchester City in the League Cup semi-final. On 31 January 2010, he scored his 100th Premier League goal in a win against Arsenal. He won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award for this season.
Famous Goals and More Trophies
In October 2010, Rooney signed a new five-year contract with Manchester United. On 12 February 2011, he scored an amazing overhead bicycle kick goal in the Manchester derby. This goal won the game 2–1 against Manchester City. Many people, including Sir Alex Ferguson, called it the best goal ever seen at Old Trafford. This goal won Rooney his third BBC Goal of the Season award.
On 2 April, Rooney scored his first hat-trick of the season against West Ham. His second goal was his 100th Premier League goal for United. He became the third United player to reach this milestone. On 14 May 2011, Rooney scored a penalty against Blackburn. This goal helped United win their record 19th top division title. He also played in the Champions League final against Barcelona, scoring a goal, but United lost.
In the 2011–12 season, Rooney continued to score many goals. He scored two hat-tricks early in the season. He became only the fourth player in Premier League history to score hat-tricks in two games in a row. He also became the highest-scoring Englishman in Champions League history. Rooney scored his 130th Premier League goal in his 300th Premier League game.
On 11 February 2012, Rooney played his 500th senior career game. He scored two goals as United beat Liverpool 2–1. He finished the season with 27 league goals. United narrowly missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City on the final day.
In the 2012–13 season, Rooney scored his 200th club goal against Stoke City. He helped United win the Premier League title again. This was his fifth Premier League winner's medal.
Captaining Manchester United
In July 2014, Rooney was named Manchester United's club captain. He scored a bicycle kick in the first game of the season. On 27 September 2014, Rooney became the third-highest Premier League goalscorer. He scored his 176th goal, moving past Thierry Henry. He was voted United's Player of the Month for December. Rooney was Manchester United's top goalscorer for the 2014–15 season.
On 26 August 2015, Rooney scored a hat-trick in a Champions League play-off game. This ended a long period without scoring. On 2 January 2016, he scored against Swansea. This goal moved him ahead of Andy Cole as the Premier League's second top scorer ever. He also passed Denis Law in United's all-time top scorers list. Fifteen days later, he scored the only goal against Liverpool at Anfield. This was his 176th league goal for United, setting a new record for most goals for one club in the Premier League.
On 21 May 2016, Rooney captained Manchester United in the 2016 FA Cup Final. He played the whole game and won the FA Cup for the first time in his career.
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On 7 January 2017, Rooney scored against Reading in the FA Cup. This goal equalled Bobby Charlton's record as Manchester United's all-time top goalscorer. Rooney reached this milestone in 215 fewer games than Charlton. On 21 January 2017, Rooney finally broke Charlton's record. He scored his 250th goal for the club with a free kick against Stoke City. He finished his Manchester United career as the club's all-time top scorer with 253 goals. He won five Premier League titles, the Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup.
Later Playing Career
Return to Everton
On 9 July 2017, Rooney returned to his boyhood club, Everton. He signed a two-year contract. He scored on his second Everton league debut on 12 August. Nine days later, Rooney scored his 200th Premier League goal against Manchester City. He became only the second player to reach this milestone, after Alan Shearer. On 29 November, Rooney scored his first hat-trick for Everton. His third goal was an amazing strike from inside his own half.
Playing in the USA
On 28 June 2018, Rooney signed a deal with D.C. United in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. He made his debut on 14 July. Rooney was named captain after three games. His first goal for the club came on 28 July. He scored against his former Manchester United teammate, goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Rooney had a great impact for D.C. United. He helped them reach the play-offs. He was named 'MLS Player of the Month' for October 2018. He finished the 2018 MLS season as D.C. United's MVP and top scorer with 12 goals. On 16 March 2019, Rooney scored his first hat-trick for D.C. United. He also scored his 300th career club goal later that season. On 27 June, Rooney scored from inside his own half for the third time in his career. He ended his time in the MLS with 23 goals and 15 assists in 48 regular-season games.
Player-Manager at Derby County
On 6 August 2019, Rooney agreed to return to England as a player-coach for EFL Championship side Derby County. He joined in January 2020 and was instantly named captain. He scored six goals in 24 games for Derby.
Rooney's first goal of the 2020–21 season was a winning free kick against Norwich City. In November 2020, Rooney became part of a four-man interim management team for Derby. He later took sole control of the team. On 15 January 2021, he officially retired from playing to become Derby's permanent manager.
International Career for England
Rooney could have played for the Republic of Ireland because of his grandparents. But he chose to play for England. He said he was "English through and through."
Rooney became the youngest player to play for England on 12 February 2003. He was 17 years and 111 days old. On 6 September that year, he became the youngest player to score for England.
Euro 2004 & World Cups
Rooney played in UEFA Euro 2004. He became the youngest scorer in the competition's history. He scored twice against Switzerland and two more against Croatia. He was named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament.
Rooney played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was sent off in the quarter-final against Portugal. He also played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was England's top scorer in the 2010 World Cup qualifying games with nine goals.
For UEFA Euro 2012, Rooney was banned for the first two group games. He returned for the final group match against Ukraine and scored the only goal. England reached the quarter-finals but lost to Italy on penalties.
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On 12 October 2012, Rooney became England's fifth-highest goalscorer. He scored his first ever goal at a FIFA World Cup finals in 2014 against Uruguay.
England Captain & Retirement
After Steven Gerrard retired from international football, Rooney was named England's new captain in 2014. On 15 November 2014, Rooney played his 100th game for England. He scored a penalty in a 3–1 win against Slovenia.
On 5 September 2015, Rooney equalled Bobby Charlton's record of 49 goals for England. On 8 September 2015, Rooney broke Charlton's record. He scored his 50th international goal from a penalty against Switzerland. This made him England's all-time top goalscorer.
In UEFA Euro 2016, Rooney scored a penalty against Iceland in the round of 16. However, England lost the match and were knocked out.
On 4 September 2016, Rooney played his 116th game for England. This made him England's most-capped outfield player ever. He announced his retirement from international football on 23 August 2017. He played one final match for England on 15 November 2018 against the United States. He ended his international career with 120 appearances.
Managerial Career
Derby County
In November 2020, Rooney became part of the interim coaching staff at Derby County. He took sole charge of the team later that month. On 15 January 2021, he was appointed permanent manager of Derby. He helped the team avoid relegation on the last day of the 2020–21 season.
In the 2021–22 season, Derby County faced big challenges. They had points deducted and were eventually relegated. Rooney resigned as manager on 24 June 2022.
D.C. United
On 12 July 2022, Rooney was announced as the head coach for his former club, MLS side D.C. United. He managed the team until October 2023.
Birmingham City
On 11 October 2023, Rooney returned to English football as manager of EFL Championship club Birmingham City. He brought his former teammates Ashley Cole and John O'Shea into his coaching staff. Rooney's team struggled, winning only two matches out of 15. He was sacked by the club on 2 January 2024.
Plymouth Argyle
On 25 May 2024, Rooney was appointed manager of EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle. In his first game on 11 August, his team lost 4–0. On 31 December 2024, Rooney left Plymouth by mutual agreement. The team was in last place at the time.
How Wayne Rooney Played
Wayne Rooney is seen as one of the best players of his generation. He was a creative and energetic forward. He had great technical skill combined with strength. He was also good at heading the ball, even though he is 1.76 meters tall. He could play anywhere in attack, but he preferred being a striker. As he got older, he played in deeper roles, like an attacking midfielder. He was praised for his vision and passing.
Rooney was a fantastic goalscorer. He could score from inside or outside the penalty area. He even scored from inside his own half for Manchester United, Everton, and D.C. United. People admired his hard work and stamina. He was always willing to chase the ball to win it back.
Because of his amazing talent as a teenager, Rooney was called "Wazza" and "The Wonder Boy." Some even called him "the new Pelé." He was fast and agile when he was young. However, injuries and weight issues affected his speed later in his career.
Many people, including England manager Gareth Southgate, consider Rooney one of England's greatest players.
Personal Life
Rooney supports Celtic in addition to Everton. He also enjoys boxing. He is friends with boxer Ricky Hatton.
Rooney met his wife, Coleen, in secondary school. They got married on 12 June 2008. They have four sons: Kai Wayne (born 2009), Klay Anthony (born 2013), Kit Joseph (born 2016), and Cass Mac (born 2018). Kai Rooney signed with Manchester United in 2020, following in his father's footsteps.
Rooney's younger brother, John Rooney, is also a professional footballer. His cousin, Jake Rooney, plays for Derby County.
Commercial Interests
Rooney has had many endorsement deals with big brands like Nike and Nokia. He appeared on the covers of seven FIFA video games in the UK. His "knockout" goal celebration is even in FIFA 18. In 2012, Rooney was listed as one of the world's highest-paid footballers.
Jerseys with Rooney's name and number were best-sellers in the Premier League. He also signed a large book deal with HarperCollins. His first autobiography, My Story So Far, was published in 2006.
Social Media
In October 2014, Rooney became the first Premier League footballer to reach 10 million followers on Twitter. He was one of the most-followed sports figures globally on the platform.
Honours
Player
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
- FA Cup: 2015–16
- Football League/EFL Cup: 2005–06, 2009–10, 2016–17
- FA Community Shield: 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016
- UEFA Champions League: 2007–08
- UEFA Europa League: 2016–17
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
Individual Awards
- PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2009–10
- PFA Young Player of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06
- FWA Footballer of the Year: 2009–10
- BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year: 2002
- Golden Boy Award: 2004
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2004
- Premier League Hall of Fame: 2022
- Premier League Player of the Season: 2009–10
- England Senior Men's Player of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2008
- FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2011
- Premier League 20 Seasons Awards Best Goal (vs. Manchester City, 12 February 2011)
- MLS Player of the Month: October 2018
- MLS Best XI: 2018
Records
- Manchester United all-time top scorer: 253 goals
- England national team 2nd all-time top scorer: 53 goals
- 2nd-Most Premier League goals scored for one club: 183 goals for Manchester United
- Most Premier League away goals scored: 94 goals
- Youngest player to score a goal for the England national team: 17 years 317 days
- Manchester United all-time top scorer in UEFA club/European competitions: 39 goals
- 3rd-highest Premier League all-time top scorer: 208 goals
- 3rd-highest Premier League all-time assist-provider: 103 assists
- Most capped outfielder for the England national football team: 120 caps
Images for kids
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Rooney training with England in September 2009
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Rooney being treated for a broken foot during a Premier League match in August 2007
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Rooney takes on Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets of Barcelona during the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final.
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Rooney (pictured with Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku in September 2017) retained the number 10 jersey at club level when he moved to Everton in July 2017.
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Rooney on the ball for D.C. United in August 2018.
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See also
In Spanish: Wayne Rooney para niños
