A summary of what Wayne Rooney has achieved by age 31:
1) Top scorer for his country (breaking a record that stood for 45 years).
2) Top scorer for his club (breaking a record that stood for 45 years).
3) Top away goals scorer in EPL history.
4) Won 5 EPLs, 3 League Cups, the Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League, World Club Championship, captained his club, captained his country.
5) Player of the Year.
6) Young Player of the Year.
7) BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
8) Nearly 300 goals for club and country.
Seeing him now as a 31yo veteran, it is easy to forget how utterly terrifying and forceful he was between 16-25. I remember this incredible volley against Newcastle which he scored out of anger because he was arguing with the ref and was annoyed that he was about to be subbed off:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLBwLsnlsqUUnfortunately
the peak of his career coincided with CR7's presence at Man Utd. When CR7 is around, we know who will get all the attention.
I always remember something that Zlatan said when interviewed in the BBC's "Wayne Rooney: The Man Behind the Goals" documentary. The most telling quote for me in that Rooney documentary was when Zlatan said that when Ronaldo and Rooney played together:
Quote:
"Rooney did all the work but Ronaldo got all the credit because he was scoring goals."
I recall Ferguson
playing Rooney as a LM and RM in order to accommodate Ronaldo and his lack of desire to defend. Rooney really used to put in a shift those days: giving Ronaldo lots of assists and doing the water carrying work to give Ronaldo the freedom to do his stuff.