Wayne Rooney is proving there’s much more to him than what meets the eye.
The former Manchester United and England star, now 39, has spent decades under the spotlight, from his teenage debut at Everton to becoming Manchester United’s record goalscorer.
But beyond his dazzling career on the pitch, Rooney has faced persistent assumptions about his intelligence and life off the field.
From Pitch to Punditry
These days, Rooney is showing a different side of himself as a pundit for the BBC’s iconic football highlights show, Match of the Day.
This transition into broadcasting follows managerial stints at Plymouth Argyle, Derby County, DC United, and Birmingham City, where he honed his leadership skills in new ways.
Tackling Misconceptions About Education
Rooney opened up about one of the most enduring misconceptions people have about him: his education.
Speaking with BBC Sport, he was asked what people get wrong about him the most. “It’s no secret that I didn’t even take GCSEs,” he admitted.
“But people assume because of that that I’m not educated, which is really wrong.”
The football legend explained that he made a conscious effort during his time at Everton and Manchester United to educate himself in areas like black history and religion.
“The reason I did that was because I wanted to hold conversations with my team-mates who are from different backgrounds,” he said.
“That was something I did to help me connect with my team-mates and understand how they were brought up.
That’s probably something people don’t understand about me.”
Revealing a Softer Side
Known for his fiery competitiveness on the pitch, Rooney also shared a glimpse of his softer side.
Asked to reveal something surprising about himself, the former striker, often remembered for his fearlessness, said: “The one thing I can think of is I cry at everything on TV—X-Factor, when people go through, I start crying.
As a player I was quite aggressive, but I’m actually quite soft really.”
Embracing Life in the Media Spotlight
Following his departure from Plymouth Argyle on New Year’s Eve last year, Rooney has fully embraced punditry.
He is reportedly earning around £800,000 a year with Match of the Day, a role he has found immensely rewarding.
Speaking to talkSPORT in June, the Merseyside native hinted that his immediate future lies more in media work than football management.
“Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m enjoying it. So, that’s where I’ll be,” he said.