Wayne Rooney is one fellow who regularly makes the headlines as much for his professional exploits as his personal life. On the field of play, the English footballer is one of the best forwards to have ever played the game. He has scored numerous goals and has won several trophies, both at the club and international level. Off the field, Rooney has been involved in several personal indiscretions that include drink-driving as well as solicitation of prostitutes. All these have predictably shaken the foundation of his union with wife Coleen, but the couple are still going strong and forging on with their family life.
How Wayne Rooney Went From Teenage Sensation to International Star
Wayne Rooney was born on the 24th of October 1985 in Croxteth, Liverpool. He became interested in football from an early age and spent his childhood playing in various junior leagues, recording so many goals each season. This predictably attracted the attention of local scouts and by the age of nine, he was scooped up by Everton FC, the club he grew up supporting.
A young Rooney continued his prolific form at the club and was handed his professional debut at the age of 16 in 2002. He went on to spend two seasons with Everton, a time during which he scored 67 goals, before leaving the club for Manchester United in 2004.
Wayne Rooney’s move to Man Utd marked the beginning of a glorious run that would see him spend a total of 13 years with the club. During this period, the forward scored as much as 253 goals, establishing himself as the club’s highest-ever goal scorer. He also helped his team to win several trophies; the Premier League title (5x), FA Cup, League Cup (3x), UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Rooney’s mercurial exploits did not just stop at the club level as he also represented the England national team, fondly known as the Three Lions, from 2003 and 2018. During this period, he featured in several tournaments, including the European Championships (2004, 2012, and 2016) and the FIFA World Cup (2006, 2010, and 2014). He recorded a total of 120 appearances for England, making him their 2nd most-capped player ever. The forward also scored 53 goals, making him his country’s all-time record goalscorer.
The Reward for his Troubles
Given the fantastic career he has had, it is reasonable to expect Wayne Rooney to be quite wealthy and he does not disappoint. The retired English striker boasts of a net worth estimated at $160 million. Rooney built up his fortune from the lucrative contracts that he scored during his playing days. His first deal was a $2.704 million contract with Everton in 2003 which paid him about $835,000 per annum. Following his move to Manchester United in 2004, the striker signed a six-year contract worth $28.08 million. This paid him about $4 million annually.
Rooney received several juicy contract extensions at United, the largest being a six-year deal worth $93.6 million in 2014. This paid him as much as $15.5 million each year. Asides his playing contracts, the player also landed sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike, Nokia, Ford, ASDA, Samsung, Coca Cola, Coke Zero, and EA Sports. He additionally scored a whopping $6.1 million book deal with Harper Collins in 2006. This was the largest ever publishing deal for a sportsbook and required the striker to pen five books in return. He has since kept his side of the bargain with about three books thus far.
Wayne and Coleen Rooney Began Their Love Affair in High School
When couples exchange marital vows, they usually promise to stick together for better or for worse. Some end up living up to this promise while others fold at the first sight of trouble. If there is, however, one couple who seems to be keeping to this promise, it is Wayne Rooney and his wife, Coleen.
Coleen, like her husband, is a native of Liverpool and of Irish descent. She has established a career as an author and TV personality. The two first became friends when they were 13 and 12 years old respectively. They later commenced a romantic relationship by the time Coleen reached the age of 16.
The young couple spent the first few months of their romance in relative bliss. They, however, ran into troubled waters after it emerged that a 17-year-old Rooney had frequently patronized prostitutes in the Liverpool area. The news shocked Coleen but she decided that their romance wasn’t really that serious at the time the indiscretions took place. She, therefore, forgave the footballer and they continued their relationship. The duo remained together for several years and later got engaged before tying the knot on the 12th of June 2008. The couple’s nuptials was quite flamboyant as it took place in the historic Italian town of Portofino.
For Better and For Worse
Following the elaborate nuptials, Wayne Rooney and Coleen settled down to family life in the affluent Merseyside town of Formby. They spent the next few years peacefully until reports emerged that the footballer had paid two prostitutes for a threesome in the year 2010. The news predictably devastated Coleen, who was pregnant at the time the threesome supposedly took place, but she decided to forgive her man. They, therefore, weathered that storm together and moved on with their lives. The next seven years passed by without incident and many thought that the striker had given up his youthful exuberances. That illusion was however shattered after the footballer was pulled over for drink-driving in September 2017.
Rooney was charged to court for the incident and was banned from driving for two years. He was also ordered to do 100 hours of community service. The whole scandal embarrassed Coleen once more and she decided to take some time apart from her husband. She, however, ultimately decided to come back and make their union work.
Since this 2017 drink-driving incident, Rooney has been caught in minor indiscretions including embarking on a wild drinking spree with his teammates, outings with mysterious women, public intoxication, and swearing. Coleen is, however, sticking through it all, and close sources suggest that the WAG has decided to stay with her husband in order to avoid the pain of divorce. According to them, she believes staying married to Rooney is the lesser of two evils.
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His Sons are Following in His Footsteps
Start of the decade ⏩ End of the decade. It’s been a busy one 🤣❤️ pic.twitter.com/5jN89Kr9T9
— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) December 31, 2019
Wayne Rooney has recorded many achievements in the course of his career but he will be the first person to have you know that these accomplishments are not his best. The striker maintains that his proudest moment is becoming a dad.
The footballer and his wife are proud parents to four boys; Kai (born in November 2009), Klay Anthony (born in May 2013), Kit (born in January 2016), and Cass (born in February 2018). Many have wondered if the couple would try for a daughter but Coleen has revealed that she thinks four is enough and that she isn’t particularly crazy about having girls.
Meanwhile, the Rooney boys are growing in leaps and bounds and are enjoying the good lifestyle provided by their parents. The first child, Kai, is showing credible football skills and has started training with local clubs. His mother, however, remains adamant that they would encourage and support him but not force him to become a footballer like his father.
