From time to time, footballers are born and called to create an era, of players who transcend beyond their game and who are like a hurricane. An explosion of strength and character that seems unstoppable on the field but, if not contained, can cause a disaster.
Today, we will relive the career of the wonder boy who transformed into a red devil and who, with his genius, rage, and temperament, made the Premier networks tremble. Today, in Memories of Football, we remember the Legend of Wayne Rooney.
Rooney Biography
Born on January 24, 1985, Wayne Rooney grew up in a humble family with his two brothers and grew up on the streets of a troubled Liverpool neighborhood. In them, he discovered his passion for football, and at the age of 11, he caught the attention of Everton scouts. Rooney broke all scoring records in the youth team Toffies, although, among his great talent, a little demon was hidden.
Rooney began drinking alcohol when he was only 12 years old and developed a very aggressive character that he discharged between fights. Despite his complex adolescence, Wayne managed to tame his complicated character thanks to soccer and began to vent his anger with the ball. His great performances with the youth team attracted the attention of the entire country, and at only 16 years old, he debuted with the first team.
Debut with Everton
Weeks later, Rooney came off the bench to play against the Invincibles’ Arsenal and, with astonishing genius, scored the winning goal that broke the team’s 30-game unbeaten streak gunners. Wayne became the youngest footballer to score in the English First Division and days later signed his first professional contract with Everton. Wayne was just a 17-year-old boy, but overnight all of England had their eyes on his figure.
The Feeling of Euro 2004
His rapid emergence made him debut with the English team in February 2003 to become the youngest player at that time the youngest player to wear the shirt Three Lions. He scored his first international goal against Macedonia, and with just 2 years in the elite, he traveled to his first Euro Cup.
In Portugal in 2004, the Rooney Phenomenon gained international relevance, and Wazza unleashed its full potential. The Wonder Boy debuted by driving the French defense crazy but, after the Gauls’ comeback, he threw the team behind him. Rooney scored two goals in the victory against Switzerland and another two against Croatia. In the quarterfinals, Rooney had to retire injured, and England ended up eliminated by Portugal in the penalty shootout.
Transfer to Manchester United
After his great performance in the Euro Cup, Rooney received offers from numerous clubs but ended up opting for Manchester United. The red devils paid 37 million euros for his signing, and that little demon dressed as a red devil. Many Everton fans considered him a traitor, and after only two years in the first team Toffies, Rooney left his childhood club with 17 goals in 77 games.
With the number 10 on his back, Rooney became a United Star, and in his debut in the Champions League, he left his mark by scoring 3 goals against Fenerbahce. Wazza scored 36 goals in his first two seasons, but important titles were a long time coming. The Red Devils they were only able to win one League Cup, and Mourinho’s Chelsea lifted two consecutive leagues.
“Touched” and expelled from the 2006 World Cup
With two days left, the blues faced United and, out of anger, Rodney admitted that he put on high heels to injure someone. However, karma played tricks on him, and minutes after leaving a message for Terry, the cleats caught on the grass, and he injured his fourth metatarsal.
Your participation in it World Cup Germany was called into question, but Rooney ended up playing in his first World Cup. Despite being recovered, the forward was in terrible shape and, completely out of rhythm, did not meet expectations. His frustration ended up bursting in the quarterfinals against Portugal, and after kicking Carvalho’s noble parts, he ended up leaving his team with ten. England was eliminated again in the penalty shootout, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s insistence on being sent off caused a disagreement between both United Stars.
Champions Champion 2008
As the weeks went by, both friends would make peace again, and together, they began to build a champion team. Together, they won their first Premier League in 2007, and the following year, they won the two-time championship for United. Ferguson’s team had become an almost unbeatable team, and in 2008, they fulfilled their goal of winning the Champions League. Rooney formed a lethal hat trick with Tévez and Cristiano, and in the Moscow final, the Red Devils they ended up beating Chelsea in the penalty shootout
Unfortunately for Rooney, England failed to qualify for the Euro 2008, but after a quiet summer, the Red Devil wanted to continue on fire. He started 2008-2009 winning the Community Shield, and he finished the year scoring the goal that gave United the victory in the Club World Cup.
Rooney was named the best English footballer of the year, and that season, they would end up winning their third consecutive Premier League and another League Cup. The Red Devils also came to the new Champions League final, but Guardiola’s Barça and Messi were removed from the two-time championship.
Threat of Escape
The sales of Tévez and Cristiano Ronaldo forced Rooney to multiply his scoring performance, but his 34 goals were not enough to maintain the club’s competitive level. United could only win the League Cup and, after another disappointment with the English team in the South Africa World Cup, Rooney expressed his desire to leave for another team. As the days went by, Wayne reconsidered and ended up renewing his contract to become a legend.
Thanks to his leadership, United won the League again and led his team to its third Champions League final in 4 years. Rooney left his seal at Wembley, tying the final against Barça but, once again, the title went to Catalonia.
An Unforgettable Chilean
Rooney finished 2012 with 34 goals and achieved the best scoring average of his career. That season, he scored the goal of his life in the Manchester derby, where he pulled out an acrobatic Chilean from his hat that gave his team the victory.
After another bitter performance in the Euro 2012, Rooney returned to Manchester to win United’s last Premier League, but after Ferguson left, everything would go wrong. The arrival of David Moyes did not go down well in the locker room, and Rooney’s quarrels with his former Everton coach ended up moving on the field. With the arrival of Van Gaal things didn’t get better either, and the Red Devils entered into an identity and title crisis.
He played his last World Cup with England in Brazil in 2014, but he said goodbye with the worst possible performance. The English were eliminated in the first phase, and the forward faced the fans who booed them.
The bad boy from Liverpool had resurfaced, and age was beginning to take its toll on him in the form of injuries. His bad habits and controversial lifestyle were turning against him, but under the orders of Mourinho and after 3 seasons without titles, he lifted the Europa League as team captain.
Top Scorer for United and the English Team
That summer, Rooney played his last big tournament with England and said goodbye to the Euro 2016 scoring in the resounding elimination against Iceland in the round of 16. In 2017, he announced his goodbye to the national team, and on November 15, 2018, he played his last game as an international. With 53 goals in 120 games, Rooney said goodbye as the top scorer of the English team, but he left with the bad taste in his mouth of failing on big dates.
In his last season at Old Trafford, Rooney surpassed Bobby Charlton as the top scorer in United history and, after celebrating 253 goals in 559 games, he returned to his origins
13 years later, and with 18 titles under his belt, Wonder Boy returned to Everton, where he played his last season in the Premier League. Rooney said goodbye by scoring 11 goals in 40 games, and in 2018, he headed to the United States. The English striker signed for DC United, where he played for 2 years and celebrated 25 goals.
The Liverpool demon returned to the islands to play in the English second division with Derby County, and after a year and a half as a player-coach, he announced his retirement in 2021. Rooney was hanging up his boots after a 19-year career and, after scoring 433 goals in 904 games, he said goodbye like a true legend.
){kind=link}