Wayne Rooney , born on October 24, 1985, is an English football player who gained international recognition as a teenager with Manchester United. At 16, he debuted professionally with Everton, setting a record as the youngest Premier League goal scorer. In 2004, he moved to Manchester United, becoming a popular football star. Rooney was England’s Young Player of the Year for two seasons. He helped Manchester United win the Premier League and Carling Cup in 2006–07. He also contributed to Premier League and Champions League titles in 2007–08, followed by a FIFA Club World Cup championship. In 2017, he became Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer with 250 goals, later rejoining Everton and then D.C. United.

What sport did Wayne Rooney play?

Wayne Rooney is an English professional football (soccer) player. He debuted with Everton at 16, becoming the youngest Premier League goal scorer. In 2004, he moved to Manchester United, becoming a popular football star. He led United to Premier League and Champions League titles in 2007–08 and won the FIFA Club World Cup. Rooney was named England’s Young Player of the Year twice and was the 2009-10 season's best player in English football. He later rejoined Everton and then signed with D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In 2020, he became player and coach for Derby County, retiring in 2021 and managing the team until 2022.

Which famous football clubs did Wayne Rooney play for?

Wayne Rooney, a celebrated English football player, has played for several famous clubs throughout his career. He began his professional career with his local club, Everton , before transferring to Manchester United in 2004. After a successful stint with Manchester United, he rejoined Everton for a single season. Later, he signed with D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In 2020, he became a player and coach for Derby County.

What position did Wayne Rooney usually play on the football field?

Wayne Rooney was a versatile player, but he is best known as a striker. As a teenager, he rose to international stardom playing that position with Manchester United in the English Premier League. Over his career, he also played as an attacking midfielder and occasionally in deeper midfield roles, showcasing his adaptability and skill set. Rooney's ability to score and create goals made him an important player for both club and country. In 2017, after scoring 253 goals with Manchester United, Rooney rejoined Everton.

How did Wayne Rooney contribute to the England national football team?

Wayne Rooney significantly contributed to the England national team . In 2003, he joined the team and became both the youngest player and youngest goal scorer in England's history at the time. He played in the 2004 European Championship, helping England reach the quarterfinals. Rooney led his country in scoring during the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches, where England reached the round of 16. In September 2015, he scored his 50th international goal during a European Championship qualifying match against Switzerland, breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record. He retired from the national team in August 2017, having scored 53 goals in 119 appearances.

What awards and records did Wayne Rooney achieve during his career?

Wayne Rooney achieved numerous awards and records throughout his career:

Wayne Rooney

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Wayne Rooney of England in a white jersey with number 9, crouched and focused during a 2006 FIFA World Cup quarter-final soccer match against Portugal.

Manchester United English striker Wayne Rooney, wearing a red jersey, jumps to control the ball during the English Premier League match against Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium, northwest England, on April 17, 2010.

Quick Facts

In full:: Wayne Mark Rooney

Born:: October 24, 1985, Liverpool, England (age 41)

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Wayne Rooney

English football (soccer) player

Also known as: Wayne Mark Rooney

Written by

Adam Augustyn

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 20, 2026 •History

Top Questions

Who is Wayne Rooney?
Wayne Rooney, born on October 24, 1985, is an English football player who gained international recognition as a teenager with Manchester United. At 16, he debuted professionally with Everton, setting a record as the youngest Premier League goal scorer. In 2004, he moved to Manchester United, becoming a popular football star.

Rooney was England’s Young Player of the Year for two seasons. He helped Manchester United win the Premier League and Carling Cup in 2006–07. He also contributed to Premier League and Champions League titles in 2007–08, followed by a FIFA Club World Cup championship. In 2017, he became Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer with 250 goals, later rejoining Everton and then D.C. United.
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1. Wayne Rooney
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What sport did Wayne Rooney play?
Wayne Rooney is an English professional football (soccer) player. He debuted with Everton at 16, becoming the youngest Premier League goal scorer. In 2004, he moved to Manchester United, becoming a popular football star. He led United to Premier League and Champions League titles in 2007–08 and won the FIFA Club World Cup. Rooney was named England’s Young Player of the Year twice and was the 2009-10 season's best player in English football. He later rejoined Everton and then signed with D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In 2020, he became player and coach for Derby County, retiring in 2021 and managing the team until 2022.
1 Britannica Source
1. Wayne Rooney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Which famous football clubs did Wayne Rooney play for?
Wayne Rooney, a celebrated English football player, has played for several famous clubs throughout his career. He began his professional career with his local club, Everton, before transferring to Manchester United in 2004. After a successful stint with Manchester United, he rejoined Everton for a single season. Later, he signed with D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In 2020, he became a player and coach for Derby County.
1 Britannica Source
1. Wayne Rooney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What position did Wayne Rooney usually play on the football field?
Wayne Rooney was a versatile player, but he is best known as a striker. As a teenager, he rose to international stardom playing that position with Manchester United in the English Premier League.

Over his career, he also played as an attacking midfielder and occasionally in deeper midfield roles, showcasing his adaptability and skill set. Rooney's ability to score and create goals made him an important player for both club and country. In 2017, after scoring 253 goals with Manchester United, Rooney rejoined Everton.
1 Britannica Source
1. Wayne Rooney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Wayne Rooney contribute to the England national football team?
Wayne Rooney significantly contributed to the England national team. In 2003, he joined the team and became both the youngest player and youngest goal scorer in England's history at the time. He played in the 2004 European Championship, helping England reach the quarterfinals. Rooney led his country in scoring during the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches, where England reached the round of 16. In September 2015, he scored his 50th international goal during a European Championship qualifying match against Switzerland, breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record. He retired from the national team in August 2017, having scored 53 goals in 119 appearances.
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1. Wayne Rooney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What awards and records did Wayne Rooney achieve during his career?
Wayne Rooney achieved numerous awards and records throughout his career:
- He was named England’s Young Player of the Year in his first two seasons with Manchester United.
- In 2010, he was named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year.
- In 2015, he scored his 50th international goal, breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record for most career goals for the English national team.
- He scored 253 goals with Manchester United, becoming the club's all-time leading scorer in January 2017.
- He won the Carling Cup in 2006–07 and contributed to Manchester United's Premier League and Champions League titles in the 2007–08 season, followed by a FIFA Club World Cup championship.
- He was part of Manchester United's league-title-winning squads in 2010–11 and 2012–13 and won his first FA Cup in 2016.
- He retired from the national team in August 2017 with 53 goals in 119 international appearances.
1 Britannica Source
1. Wayne Rooney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Wayne Rooney (born October 24, 1985, Liverpool, England) is an English professional football (soccer) player who rose to international football stardom as a teenager while playing with the English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United.

Rooney made his professional debut with his local club Everton at age 16, becoming the youngest goal scorer in Premier League history in his first season (the record has since been surpassed). After two years playing for Everton, he transferred to Manchester United in 2004. With Manchester the precocious young striker quickly became one of the most popular football stars in the United Kingdom, as well as fodder for the country’s notorious tabloid industry along with his girlfriend (later his wife) Coleen McLoughlin. The couple’s late-night exploits and home life were widely disseminated by the press, and McLoughlin (Coleen Rooney from 2008) was able to parlay her exposure into a media career.

Rooney was named England’s Young Player of the Year in each of his first two seasons in Manchester. In 2006–07 he helped lead United to a Premier League championship and a victory in the Carling Cup. He was a key contributor to United’s Premier League and Champions League titles in the 2007–08 season, which were followed by the team’s first FIFA Club World Cup championship, with Rooney scoring the only goal in United’s 1–0 win in the tournament final. Rooney and Man U won a third consecutive league title the following season. In 2010 he was named both the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year as the best player in English football for the 2009–10 season. Rooney was a part of United’s league-title-winning squads in 2010–11 and 2012–13, and during the 2011–12 season he scored a personal-best 27 Premier League goals. He continued to be the team’s top goal scorer in many of the following years, although United failed to win any major titles over that span until the club captured the first FA Cup of Rooney’s career in 2016. In January 2017 Rooney scored his 250th goal for United, passing Sir Bobby Charlton to become the club’s all-time leading scorer. Six months later Rooney left United, having ultimately scored 253 goals with the club, and rejoined Everton. After just one season back with his first professional team, however, Rooney signed with D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In 2020 he became player and coach for Derby County of the English Football Championship league. He retired from competitive play the following year and was named manager of the team. However, he left in 2022 to become manager of D.C. United.

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Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)

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Rooney was named a member of the English national team in 2003 and that year became—for a time—both the youngest player and the youngest goal scorer in England’s history. He starred on an England squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2004 European Championship (Euro 2004), but a slow recovery from a foot injury limited his effectiveness in the 2006 World Cup finals, where he went scoreless. England failed to qualify for Euro 2008, but Rooney led his country in scoring in qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup, where England lost in the round of 16. He was suspended for the first two games of Euro 2012 owing to a red card he received in England’s final qualifying match and ultimately appeared in only two contests in the tournament, as England was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Rooney scored his first World Cup goal at the 2014 tournament, but England was surprisingly eliminated from that event after playing just two games (both losses), which was the earliest the country had ever been knocked out of the World Cup. In August 2014 Rooney was named captain of the English national team. During a European Championship qualifying match against Switzerland in September 2015, Rooney scored his 50th international goal, breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record for the most career goals scored for the English national team. He retired from the national team in August 2017 with a total of 53 goals in 119 international appearances.

In 2006 Rooney’s autobiography, Wayne Rooney: My Story So Far (ghostwritten by journalist Hunter Davies), was published.

Adam Augustyn The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Wayne Rooney

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