Download match schedule for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil in PDF, XLS and DOC formats.
KICK OFF :
Rarely has a player with so many records divided opinions the way he has. Billed as a child prodigy, Rooney’s talent was recognized at a very young age by the greats of the game. When he was just 17, Arsene Wenger said of him, “Rooney is the biggest English talent I’ve seen since I arrived in England. There has certainly not been a player under-20 as good as him since I became a manager here.”
HIS-STORY :
Rooney announced himself to the world on October 19th 2002 when, aged seventeen, he scored a last minute screamer against Arsenal for the club which had nurtured him from the age of nine, Everton. That goal ended a 30 match unbeaten run for the Gunners. In the summer of 2004, Manchester United paid 25.6 million pounds to pry him away from the hands of Everton. The amount paid was the highest paid for a player under the age of 20. At United, he has gone on to cement his place with the greats. He was an integral part of United’s unique strikerless side that conquered Europe in 2008.
Wayne Rooney became the youngest player to appear in his national team’s shirt when he came on against Australia in February 2003. Two years later, he went on to score twice against Switzerland in the European Championships, making him the youngest player to do so in the tournament. He was later named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. He currently stands at fifth on England’s all time goal scoring charts, just 11 shy of Bobby Charlton’s record.
SCORECARD :
Rooney is a five team Premier League champion with Manchester United, being included thrice in the Team of the Year thrice, en route. He was voted PFA Players’ Player of the Year in the 2009-10 season as well. After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United were pronounced to be staring down a deep abyss. It was Rooney who stepped up to the plate and carried the mantle for his side with stellar goalscoring returns.
In the Three Lions Whites, Rooney has consistently reproduced his club form. He top scored for England in its bids to reach the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, leading the line to great success.
EXTRA TIME :
Rooney gave up a boxing career in order to focus on his football. However, he continues to box, mainly to curb his temper. He is the global face of various brands such as Nike, Ford, Asda and FIFA.
His bicycle-kick winner for United against city rivals, City in 2011 was voted the ‘Best Premier League goal’ in the 20 seasons of this prize’s existence.
OFFSIDE :
Controversy is Wayne’s middle name. Whether it were the controversial circumstances under which he left Everton or his temperamental behaviour on the field, Rooney has had a fractious relationship with the media, at best. The low point of his career, however, came in the quarter-final of the 2006 World Cup. In the 62nd minute of their game against Portugal, Rooney unfairly challenged Ricardo Carvalho for the ball. When club teammate Cristiano Ronaldo got involved, Rooney shoved him right in front of the referee’s eyes. Rooney was subsequently red carded. When England exited the tournament after losing on penalties in the same game, the blame was placed squarely on Rooney’s shoulders. He endured vitriolic abuse from opposition fans wherever he went in the following Premier League season.
TIE BREAKER :
Despite accusations of not reproducing his club form in England whites, Rooney represents his country’s best hope at Brazil next year. In Roy Hodgson, Rooney has a manager who is willing to structure a team around him. A role as a secondary striker, one feeding off, perhaps, Daniel Sturridge with pacey and direct players flanking him seems to be Rooney’s favored system with England. Whether he can the steer the stuttering England jalopy past another inevitable quarter final exit will depend greatly on the ongoing club season and Rooney’s fitness leading up to the summer of next year.
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