After 13 years of starring for Manchester United, Wayne Rooney is going home again to Liverpool. Rooney just re-joined Everton and signed a two-year contract after being allowed to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer. The 31-year-old forward/midfielder originally joined Everton when he was just nine years old and stayed with the club until he was 18.
Rooney played his first two pro seasons with Everton and was then sold to Man United for over 25 million pounds. He went on to become the famous club’s all-time leading scorer and also achieved the same feat with the English national team, which he captained. Below are 11 interesting facts that all soccer fans may not know about Rooney.
11. Could Have Played For Ireland
Even though Wayne Rooney was born on October 24th, 1985 in Croxteth, Liverpool, England, he had the opportunity to play for the Republic of Ireland. Because of FIFA’s somewhat lax rules regarding international eligibility, Rooney was eligible to play for Ireland as his paternal grandparents hail from the country. However, Rooney told the media that he was born in England and considers himself to be English through and through. He added that he never entertained the idea of lacing up his boots for any other nation. The Football Association of Ireland Irish definitely explored the possibility though and made inquiries about Rooney’s allegiance when he was 16 years old. Fortunately for England supporters, Rooney turned Ireland down and went on to captain his homeland.
