Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Wayne Rooney

Discover the career path of Wayne Rooney, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Wayne Rooney is a former English professional football player and current manager. He most recently managed Plymouth Argyle in the EFL Championship. A prominent figure in English football, Rooney is celebrated for his playing career.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

April 2002: Unused Substitute for Everton

On April 20, 2002, Wayne Rooney was an unused substitute in Everton's 1-0 away win over Southampton.

2002: Professional Debut for Everton

In 2002, Wayne Rooney made his professional debut for Everton Football Club at the age of 16.

January 2003: Signs First Professional Contract

In January 2003, Wayne Rooney signed his first professional contract, becoming one of the world's highest-paid teenagers.

February 2003: Senior International Debut for England

In February 2003, at the age of 17, Wayne Rooney made his senior international debut for England and became England's youngest-ever goalscorer.

February 2003: Youngest player to play for England

On February 12, 2003, Wayne Rooney became the youngest player to play for England, earning his first cap in a friendly match against Australia at the age of 17 years and 111 days.

June 2004: UEFA Euro 2004 Performance

In June 2004, during the UEFA Euro 2004, Wayne Rooney became the youngest scorer in the competition's history on June 17, 2004, by scoring twice in England's match against Switzerland. Rooney added two more goals against Croatia on June 21. However, he suffered an injury against Portugal on June 24. Despite the injury, he was named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament.

2004: Youngest player to score for England

In 2004, at the age of 17 years and 317 days, Wayne Rooney became the youngest player to score for England in a UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying match against Macedonia.

2004: First Treble in European Competition

In August 2015, after scoring a hat-trick, it was noted that the last time Wayne Rooney scored a treble in European Competition was in 2004 against Fenerbahçe.

2004: Move to Manchester United

In the summer transfer window of 2004, Wayne Rooney moved from Everton to Manchester United for £25.6 million, where he won 16 trophies.

2004: UEFA Euro 2004

Wayne Rooney played at UEFA Euro 2004, where he scored four goals and briefly became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championship.

April 2006: Foot injury and race to fitness for 2006 FIFA World Cup

In April 2006, Wayne Rooney sustained a foot injury during a Premier League match, leading to a race against time to recover for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Despite efforts to hasten his recovery with an oxygen tent, he was unable to regain full fitness and went scoreless as England exited in the quarter-finals.

2006: 2006 World Cup Appearance

In 2006, Wayne Rooney featured at the World Cup.

2006: League Cup Final

In the 2006 League Cup final, Rooney scored two goals.

April 2007: Champions League Success

In April 2007, Rooney scored two goals in an 8-3 aggregate Champions League quarter-final win over Roma and two more in the same competition at the end of the April, in a 3-2 semi-final first leg victory over AC Milan.

June 2007: Given squad number 10

In June 2007, Wayne Rooney was assigned squad number 10 for Manchester United, a number he expressed a fondness for.

October 2007: Champions League goal against Roma

In October 2007, Rooney scored in Manchester United's 1–0 Champions League group stage victory over Roma after returning from an injury.

October 2008: Youngest player to make 200 Premier League appearances

On October 4, 2008, Wayne Rooney became the youngest player to reach 200 Premier League appearances in an away victory over Blackburn.

April 2009: Goals against Tottenham

On April 25, 2009, Rooney scored his final league goals of the season against Tottenham, contributing two goals and two assists in a 5–2 comeback win for Manchester United.

November 2009: Rooney captains England for the first time

On November 14, 2009, Wayne Rooney captained England for the first time in a pre-tournament friendly match against Brazil.

November 2009: Hat-trick against Portsmouth

On November 28, 2009, Rooney scored his first hat-trick in three years during a 4–1 away win against Portsmouth, including two penalties.

December 2009: Man of the Match against Hull City

On December 27, 2009, Rooney was awarded Man of the Match against Hull City, contributing to all goals in a 3-1 victory.

January 2010: Four goals against Hull

On January 23, 2010, Wayne Rooney scored all four goals in Manchester United's 4-0 victory over Hull City, marking the first time he had scored four goals in a single match.

February 2010: Scored twice against Milan

On February 16, 2010, Rooney scored his first European goals of the season, netting two headers in a 3-2 away win against Milan at the San Siro.

August 2010: First goal of the season

On August 28, 2010, Rooney scored his first goal of the season, converting a penalty in a 3-0 home victory over West Ham United.

2010: 2010 FIFA World Cup controversy and performance

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Wayne Rooney was given the number 10 shirt. Following a draw against Algeria on June 18, 2010, Rooney criticized England fans for booing the team, later apologizing for his actions. He went scoreless throughout the tournament.

2010: 2010 World Cup Appearance

In 2010, Wayne Rooney featured at the World Cup.

2010: Top scorer for England in 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign

In 2010, Wayne Rooney was the top scorer for England in their World Cup qualifying campaign with nine goals.

January 2011: First goal from open play

On January 1, 2011, Rooney scored his first goal of the season from open play in a 2–1 away win over West Bromwich Albion.

May 2011: Secures Premier League title for United

On May 14, 2011, Rooney scored a penalty for United to equalize in a 1–1 draw against Blackburn, securing a record 19th top division title for United.

October 2011: Highest-scoring Englishman in Champions League history

On October 18, 2011, Rooney scored two goals against Oțelul Galați in the Champions League, becoming the highest-scoring Englishman in Champions League history, surpassing Paul Scholes.

December 2011: UEFA ban appeal

In December 2011, after Rooney received a three-game ban from UEFA, The FA appealed and UEFA reduced the sentence to two matches.

February 2012: 500th career game

On February 11, 2012, Rooney marked his 500th senior career game by scoring two goals as Manchester United beat rivals Liverpool 2–1 at Old Trafford.

June 2012: Return to Euro 2012 and Criticism

In June 2012, Wayne Rooney returned to play in the final group stage match against Ukraine, scoring the only goal and helping England progress. They were later eliminated in the quarter-finals. Rooney's performances in the tournament were criticized, with Fabio Capello claiming he "only plays well in Manchester".

October 2012: England's fifth-highest goalscorer

On October 12, 2012, Wayne Rooney became England's fifth-highest goalscorer of all time after scoring his 30th and 31st international goals in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against San Marino. He also captained England for the first time in a competitive match.

December 2012: Goals and Assists against Reading

In December 2012, Wayne Rooney scored twice and provided an assist in a 4–3 win against Reading.

2012: Euro 2012 Qualification and Red Card

In 2012, during the Euro qualification campaign, Wayne Rooney scored three goals, contributing to England's successful qualification. However, he received a red card in the last qualifier against Montenegro, resulting in a ban.

February 2013: Goal against Brazil at Wembley

On February 6, 2013, Wayne Rooney scored in a 2–1 win against Brazil at Wembley in a friendly match.

July 2013: Moyes Announces Rooney is Not for Sale

On 5 July 2013, new Manchester United manager David Moyes announced that Wayne Rooney was not for sale amid interest from other clubs.

October 2013: All-time top goalscorer in competitive internationals

On October 11, 2013, Wayne Rooney became England's all-time top goalscorer in competitive internationals when he scored his 27th competitive goal in a 4–1 World Cup qualifier against Montenegro.

February 2014: Contract Extension with Manchester United

In February 2014, Wayne Rooney signed a contract extension with Manchester United, committing him to the club until 2019.

March 2014: Rooney Reaches Third Place on Club's All-Time Scoring List

In March 2014, Wayne Rooney scored two goals against West Ham, moving him to third place on Manchester United's all-time scoring list with 212 career goals.

July 2014: Named Club Captain

In July 2014, Wayne Rooney was named club captain of Manchester United by manager Louis van Gaal, succeeding Nemanja Vidić.

September 2014: Appointment as England Captain

Following Steven Gerrard's international retirement after the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Wayne Rooney was named as the new England captain by Roy Hodgson. On September 3, 2014, in his first match as captain, Rooney scored a penalty against Norway, securing a 1-0 friendly win. He also initiated player-only meetings to improve team performance.

September 2014: Rooney Becomes Third Highest Premier League Goalscorer

In September 2014, Wayne Rooney became the third-highest Premier League goalscorer with 176 goals, surpassing Thierry Henry, in a match against West Ham, where he was later sent off.

November 2014: 100th England cap

In November 2014, Wayne Rooney earned his 100th England cap against Slovenia in a Euro 2016 qualifying match, scoring a penalty to equalize in a 3–1 win.

November 2014: Goal Against Arsenal

In November 2014, Wayne Rooney scored for Manchester United in a 2–1 win against Arsenal, marking their first away win of the season.

2014: 2014 FIFA World Cup Performance and Criticism

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Wayne Rooney scored his first World Cup goal in a match against Uruguay on June 19, 2014. However, England was eliminated from the World Cup, and Rooney faced criticism for his overall performance in the tournament.

2014: 2014 World Cup Appearance

In 2014, Wayne Rooney featured at the World Cup.

2014: Top scorer in 2014 World Cup qualification campaign

Wayne Rooney ended the 2014 World Cup qualification campaign as England's top scorer with seven goals.

June 2015: Joint second in England's goalscoring list

In June 2015, Wayne Rooney scored the winning goal against Slovenia, putting him joint second in England's list of top goalscorers with 48 goals, alongside Gary Lineker.

June 2015: Contract extended

Rooney extended his contract with Manchester United until June 2015.

August 2015: Hat-trick Against Club Brugge

In August 2015, Wayne Rooney ended an 878-minute scoreless streak by scoring a hat-trick against Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off.

September 2015: Breaking England's Goalscoring Record

In September 2015, Wayne Rooney broke Bobby Charlton's England goalscoring record, netting his 50th international goal in a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Switzerland. He also equaled Ashley Cole as his country's fifth-highest capped player. This was also Rooney's 300th professional career goal.

2015: England's Record Goalscorer

In 2015, Wayne Rooney became the record goalscorer for the England national team.

January 2016: Rooney Surpasses Cole and Law in Scoring Charts

In January 2016, Wayne Rooney scored against Swansea, surpassing Andy Cole as the Premier League's second-top scorer and Denis Law in United's all-time scorers.

August 2016: FA Community Shield Victory

On 7 August 2016, Wayne Rooney set up Jesse Lingard's goal in Manchester United's 2–1 victory over Leicester City in the 2016 FA Community Shield.

September 2016: Most-capped outfield player for England

In September 2016, Wayne Rooney earned his 116th appearance for England, becoming the nation's most-capped outfield player of all time. He also confirmed his plans to retire from international football after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

November 2016: 100 Premier League Assists and All-Time Leading Scorer

In November 2016, Wayne Rooney achieved 100 Premier League assists and became Manchester United's all-time leading scorer in European competitions.

2016: Euro 2016 qualifying matches

In Euro 2016, Wayne Rooney played in qualifying matches.

2016: UEFA Euro 2016

In June 2016, during England's opening match of UEFA Euro 2016 against Russia, Wayne Rooney started in central midfield and was named man of the match. On June 27, 2016, he scored against Iceland in the round of 16 but England lost 2-1 and was eliminated from the tournament.

January 2017: Equals Bobby Charlton as Top Goalscorer

In January 2017, Wayne Rooney equaled Bobby Charlton as Manchester United's top goalscorer of all time after scoring against Reading in the FA Cup.

March 2017: Left out of the England squad

In March 2017, Wayne Rooney was left out of the England squad by manager Gareth Southgate.

May 2017: Final Game and Europa League Win

In May 2017, Wayne Rooney played his last game for Manchester United, coming on as a substitute in the Europa League final victory against Ajax.

July 2017: Return to Everton

In July 2017, Wayne Rooney returned to his boyhood club, Everton, on a two-year contract.

August 2017: Retirement from international football

In August 2017, Wayne Rooney announced his immediate retirement from international football, declining a recall to the England squad.

February 2018: Appears on Monday Night Football

In February 2018, Wayne Rooney appeared as a pundit on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, receiving praise for his articulate and insightful commentary.

June 2018: Signs with D.C. United

In June 2018, Wayne Rooney signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with D.C. United of Major League Soccer.

October 2018: Named MLS Player of the Month

In October 2018, Wayne Rooney was named 'MLS Player of the Month' after positive performances for D.C. United, including helping them to a play-off spot.

November 2018: Final match for England

In November 2018, Wayne Rooney came out of international retirement to play one final match for England against the United States at Wembley Stadium to promote The Wayne Rooney Foundation. He made his final appearance on November 15, 2018, ending his international career with 120 appearances.

2018: Intention to retire after 2018 FIFA World Cup

Prior to his final international appearance, Wayne Rooney had confirmed that he would retire from international football after the finals in Russia 2018.

March 2019: First Hat-Trick for D.C. United

In March 2019, Wayne Rooney scored his first hat-trick for D.C. United in a 5–0 win over Real Salt Lake.

August 2019: Agrees to Join Derby County as Player-Coach

In August 2019, Wayne Rooney agreed a deal to return to England as a player-coach with EFL Championship side Derby County in January 2020.

January 2020: Derby County Debut

In January 2020, Wayne Rooney made his debut for Derby County, assisting the first goal in a 2–1 win against Barnsley.

November 2020: Appointment as part of Derby County's interim coaching staff

In November 2020, following a poor start to the season and the sacking of Derby County's boss Phillip Cocu, Wayne Rooney was appointed as part of a four-man interim coaching staff on November 14, 2020. He later took sole control and removed himself from the playing squad, becoming permanent manager in January.

2020: Rooney's first goal of the 2020–21 season

In the 2020-21 season, Wayne Rooney scored his first goal in the fourth match with a free kick against Norwich City, securing Derby's first win and moving the club out of the bottom three after three defeats. Later, Rooney took sole control of the team as interim manager, removing himself from the playing squad.

January 2021: Retirement from playing and appointment as permanent manager of Derby

On January 15, 2021, Wayne Rooney officially retired from playing professional football after being appointed as the permanent manager of Derby.

February 2021: Press recognition and Celtic job speculation

By mid-February 2021, Wayne Rooney's management of Derby County was praised, leading to speculation about him being a potential candidate for the Celtic job. However, the team's form declined, causing criticism of his management.

June 2022: Rooney Resigns as Derby Manager

In June 2022, with Derby County in administration and relegated to League One, Wayne Rooney resigned as manager on June 24.

July 2022: Rooney Appointed D.C. United Head Coach

On July 12, 2022, Wayne Rooney was announced as the head coach for his former club, MLS side D.C. United, replacing Hernán Losada with a contract to the end of the 2023 season.

October 2023: Rooney Appointed Birmingham City Manager

On October 11, 2023, Wayne Rooney returned to English football as the manager of EFL Championship club Birmingham City on a three-and-a-half-year contract, replacing John Eustace after his sacking.