History of Wayne Rooney in Timeline
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.
October 1985: Wayne Rooney's Birth
In October 1985, Wayne Mark Rooney was born.
1995: Scoring for Everton's Under-10s and 11s
In the 1995-96 season, Wayne Rooney scored 114 goals in 29 games for Everton's under-10s and 11s teams.
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.
2002: FA Youth Cup Final
In 2002, Wayne Rooney scored one goal for Everton in their defeat against Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup Final. After scoring, he revealed a T-shirt that read, "Once a Blue, always a Blue."
2002: BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year
In December 2002, Wayne Rooney was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
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.
August 2003: First Goal of the 2003-04 Season
On August 26, 2003, Wayne Rooney scored his first goal of the 2003-04 season in a 2-2 away draw against Charlton Athletic.
February 2004: First Premier League Brace
On 21 February 2004, Wayne Rooney scored two goals in a Premier League game for the first time in a 3–3 away draw against Southampton.
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.
July 2004: Everton's Contract Offer
In July 2004, Everton offered Wayne Rooney a new five-year contract valued at £50,000 per week, the most lucrative ever offered by the club.
2004: Right foot injury
In 2004, Rooney suffered an injury to his right foot, fracturing his metatarsal.
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.
September 2005: Champions League Red Card
In September 2005, Wayne Rooney was sent off in a Champions League match against Villarreal for sarcastically clapping the referee.
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.
August 2006: Amsterdam Tournament Red Card
On August 4, 2006, Wayne Rooney was sent off in the Amsterdam Tournament match against Porto after hitting Porto defender Pepe with his elbow, resulting in a three-match ban by the FA.
2006: Sending off during World Cup
During the 2006 FIFA World Cup game against Portugal, Wayne Rooney was sent off from the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
2006: Ten-Game Scoreless Streak
During the first half of the 2006-07 season, Wayne Rooney endured a ten-game scoreless streak before scoring a hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers.
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.
2006: Premier League Title
Wayne Rooney collected his first Premier League title winner's medal at the end of the 2006-07 season.
April 2007: Rooney kisses Manchester United badge
In April 2007, Rooney kissed the Manchester United badge when scoring against his boyhood club.
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.
April 2007: Goal and Assist Against Everton
In April 2007, Wayne Rooney scored a goal and provided an assist for Chris Eagles in a crucial league win for Manchester United at his former club Everton, and responded to fans that once cheered him.
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.
June 2008: Rooney marries Coleen McLoughlin
On June 12, 2008, Wayne Rooney married Coleen McLoughlin after dating for six years. The wedding, held at the Abbey of Cervara near Genoa, faced controversy with the Catholic Church due to the venue's deconsecrated status. Despite warnings, they proceeded with their local priest, Father Edward Quinn, presiding. Coleen's favourite band, Westlife, also performed at the reception and Stereophonics played as well.
July 2008: Helen Wood's Allegations
In July 2008, Big Brother winner Helen Wood alleged that Rooney paid £1,000 for a threesome with her and Jennifer Thompson while his wife was five months pregnant.
July 2008: Paul Stretford Found Guilty
On July 9, 2008, Paul Stretford was found guilty of providing false and misleading statements to the police and giving false testimony, and his contract signing Rooney was found to be two years longer than the FA limit. He received an £300,000 fine and was banned from being a football agent for 18 months.
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.
2008: England Player of the Year 2008
In 2008, Wayne Rooney won the England Player of the Year award.
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: 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.
2009: PFA and FWA Footballer of the Year Awards
For the 2009-10 season, Wayne Rooney won the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
2009: England Player of the Year 2009
In 2009, Wayne Rooney won the England Player of the Year award.
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.
May 2010: Liverpool Schoolboys Record Broken
In May 2010, the record of 72 goals in one season set by Wayne Rooney while playing for Liverpool Schoolboys was broken.
July 2010: Proactive Awarded Restitution
In July 2010, Proactive was awarded £90,000 as restitution in their lawsuit against Rooney for withheld commissions.
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.
2010: Named PFA Players' Player of the Year
On April 25, 2010, Wayne Rooney was named the 2010 PFA Players' Player of the Year.
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.
February 2011: Goal of the Season Award
In February 2011, Wayne Rooney's bicycle kick against Manchester City won the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards Best Goal award.
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.
July 2011: Rooney Jersey Sales Top Premier League
In July 2011, jerseys with Wayne Rooney's name and number (Rooney, 10) became the best-selling sports product under the Premier League, surpassing Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. He was the first United player to top the list since Cristiano Ronaldo's number 7 jersey in 2008.
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".
September 2012: Publication of 'My Decade in the Premier League'
In September 2012, Wayne Rooney's third book, 'My Decade in the Premier League', was published.
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.
2012: Contract Extension
Wayne Rooney had signed a two-year contract extension the month following a hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers that tied him to United until 2012.
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.
October 2014: Rooney Reaches 10 Million Twitter Followers
In October 2014, Rooney became the first Premier League footballer to reach 10 million followers on Twitter, ranking among the top footballers and UK individuals on the platform.
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.
February 2015: Criticism for Diving
In February 2015, Wayne Rooney was criticised for diving to get a penalty in an FA Cup match against Preston North End. He later apologised for the incident.
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.
2015: Rejection of Republic of Ireland approach
In 2015, Wayne Rooney confirmed that he had rejected an approach from the Republic of Ireland at the age of 16, stating that he considered himself "English through and through".
2015: England Player of the Year 2015
In 2015, Wayne Rooney won the England Player of the Year award.
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.
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.
September 2017: Rooney Arrested for Drink Driving
On September 1, 2017, Wayne Rooney was arrested in Wilmslow for driving over the prescribed alcohol limit. He pleaded guilty on September 18, 2017, was fined £170, banned from driving for two years, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. Everton also fined him two weeks' wages.
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.
December 2018: Rooney Arrested for Public Intoxication
On December 16, 2018, Wayne Rooney was arrested at Washington Dulles International Airport for public intoxication and use of profanity in public. He was released without bail and later fined US$25 plus US$91 in costs.
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: Revelations on United's Official Podcast
In 2020, Wayne Rooney revealed on United's official podcast that Everton had wanted him to sign for Chelsea to ensure a bigger transfer fee.
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.
November 2023: Rooney's First Victory as Birmingham Manager
On November 25, 2023, Wayne Rooney earned his first victory as Birmingham City manager with a 2–1 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday.
2023: End of Record Goalscorer Reign
In 2023, Wayne Rooney's time as the record goalscorer for the England national team came to an end.
January 2024: Rooney Sacked by Birmingham City
On January 2, 2024, Wayne Rooney was sacked by Birmingham City after winning just twice in 15 matches, leaving the team in 20th position.
May 2024: Rooney Appointed Plymouth Argyle Manager
On May 25, 2024, Wayne Rooney was appointed manager of EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle on a three-year contract.
December 2024: Rooney Leaves Plymouth Argyle
On December 31, 2024, with the team in last place, Wayne Rooney left Plymouth Argyle in a mutual agreement with the club.
2026: Max Dowman Breaks Youngest Goalscorer Record
In 2026, Max Dowman broke Wayne Rooney's record as the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history in a match against Moyes's Everton.
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