As the best English player of his generation, Wayne Rooney has seldom been out of the news since bursting on to the scene as an explosive, combustible 16-year-old with Everton. As he prepares to mark his 30th birthday on Saturday, The Times continues the countdown of the England captain’s most memorable moments - for different reasons - in a career packed with exhilarating highs and extraordinary lows for club and country.
25. First World Cup goal: England v Uruguay, Arena de Sao Paolo, June 19, 2014
It was a long time coming and, sadly for England’s long-suffering supporters, it was not exactly worth waiting for. Rooney’s first goal in his tenth World Cup match, at his third finals, momentarily drew England level with Uruguay. Yet the United striker was ultimately upstaged by Luis Suárez, the striker, who had been in a wheelchair only a month earlier as he worked his way back from serious injury, scoring his second goal ten minutes later to secure a 2-1 win for Uruguay and as good as eliminate Roy Hodgson’s team at the group stage. “The memory of the goal will always be tainted because we lost and went out of the tournament,” Rooney said.
24. First trophy: Manchester United v Wigan Athletic, League Cup final, Millennium Stadium, February 26, 2006
Eighteen months after moving to Old Trafford, Rooney finally got his hands on his first piece of silverware. Wigan were the opponents in Cardiff and they had no answer to Rooney that day, the striker scoring twice and winning the man-of-the-match award. It would prove the catalyst to another period of remarkable success under Sir Alex Ferguson at United, in which Rooney played a central part.
23. Left on the bench: Manchester United v Real Madrid, Old Trafford, March 5, 2013
Rooney’s relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson had been strained for a long time but the manager’s decision to omit his leading striker from the second leg of United’s Champions League round-of-16 tie against the Spanish giants confirmed to a much wider audience just how big the rift had become. A few months later, Ferguson claimed Rooney had submitted a formal transfer request. Rooney vehemently denied those claims, insisting only that he had been to see Ferguson and explain that he would have to consider his options if he was no longer going to be picked for the big games. Had Ferguson not retired at the end of that season, Rooney would almost certainly have been sold.
22. World Cup rant: England v Algeria, Cape Town, June 18, 2010
What is it about Rooney and television cameras? As boos rang out around the Green Point Stadium at the final whistle of a dismal goalless draw against Algeria that left England’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage of the 2010 World Cup finals hanging in the balance, Rooney snapped. Making his way from the field, the England striker looked at the TV camera following him and moaned: “It’s nice to get booed by your own fans. Very loyal.”
Who could blame the England supporters, though? The team had been pitiful, the performance devoid of a redeeming feature. Rooney himself had been poor. “I thought they would be better,” Rabah Saâdane, the Algeria coach, said. “I don’t know what happened and it’s up to their coach [Fabio Capello] to draw the necessary conclusions.”
21. South American screamer: England v Brazil, Maracana, June 2 2013
The game was level at 1-1, with England somehow still in the contest despite being outplayed for long periods, when Rooney picked up the ball 40 yards out, surged forward and, with Brazil’s players standing off, rifled a wonderful, dipping shot into the top corner. Brazil would come back to claim a 2-2 draw they more than deserved, but the home crowd at the newly-reconstructed Maracana appreciate class when they see it. This was a goal of the highest quality.