Wayne Mark Rooney rose from a blue-collar Everton academy to become one of English football’s defining figures, a player whose game evolved as dramatically as his trophy cabinet.
Bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Goodison Park in 2002, Rooney’s raw power, nose for goal, and competitive fire earned him a blockbuster move to Manchester United in 2004.
Over 13 seasons at Old Trafford, he transformed from a mercurial young striker into a complete forward and deep-lying creator, capable of scoring, crafting and dictating games.
Later chapters took him back to Everton, across the Atlantic with D.C. United and to Derby County, where he closed out a storied playing career before stepping into management with Derby, D.C. United, Birmingham City, and Plymouth Argyle.
Across club and country, he left the field with around 569 senior appearances and 237 club goals, plus 120 England caps and 53 international goals, numbers that underline a career built on longevity, influence, and moments of pure spectacle.
Major team honours
UEFA Champions League: 2007–08 (Manchester United)
Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13 (Manchester United)
FA Cup: 2015–16 (Manchester United)
EFL Cup / League Cup: multiple victories with Manchester United
UEFA Europa League: 2016–17 (Manchester United)
FIFA Club World Cup: 2008 (Manchester United)
Major individual honours and records
Manchester United’s all-time top scorer — 253 goals in all competitions, a club record that enshrined Rooney among United’s immortals.
England’s record goalscorer with 53 goals, a benchmark he held from 2015 until 2023.
Multiple club Player of the Year awards and repeated recognition from peers and pundits across his prime years.
Longstanding Premier League milestones for goals and appearances, reflecting both peak brilliance and remarkable durability.
120 England caps, placing him among the most-capped English outfield players in history.
Notable career statistics
Senior club appearances/goals: ~569 appearances, 237 goals.
England: 120 caps, 53 goals.
Manchester United: 393 league appearances, 183 league goals; 253 goals in all competitions for the club.
Top 3 most interesting facts.
Record-breaker at Old Trafford — Rooney toppled decades of legends to become Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer, a milestone that rewired the club’s history books.
England’s talisman — His 53 goals for the national team made Rooney the face of England’s attack for more than a decade, blending big-game goals with blistering technique.
A career of reinvention — Rooney’s evolution from explosive frontman into a cerebral playmaker and midfield influence showcased rare tactical intelligence, allowing him to dominate matches in multiple roles across the pitch.
