England and Manchester United’s all-time top goalscorer Wayne Rooney has just had a documentary released about his life, in which he openly talks about the highs and lows of his personal life and early career through to his managerial career. The documentary was released on the 11th of February, 2022, and is available on Amazon Prime Video. 

The documentary gives us access to unseen footage into Rooney’s life and how he is with his family even after all the struggles and scandals he has been through. The documentary starts off with a clip of Wayne and Coleen Rooney getting married in Italy in 2008. The couple, who grew up with each other, were together since the age of 16 and straight under the spotlight as Wayne made his professional debut in sensational fashion by scoring the winner for Everton against a 30-game unbeaten Arsenal. 

Wayne was widely referred to as a street footballer. This was not in relation to his playing technique but more to where he grew up and his aggression, grit and affinity for street fights. As a teenager, he would go to concerts where he knew there was a chance of a bust-up. In the documentary, Wayne also mentions that he enjoyed fighting and hence, before he could get into any more trouble, David Moyes brought him into the Everton first team. 

Rooney also talks about his struggles with alcohol, and how he was only 16 when he was caught drinking for the first time by the then-assistant coach of Everton’s reserves team. In his reserve days, Rooney also celebrated with a t-shirt stating “Once a blue, always a blue” after scoring a goal. This would come back to haunt him, as after signing his first professional contract—a three-year deal—with Everton in 2003 Rooney left the Toffees for Manchester United for a deal worth £28 million in 2004, which was a huge fee for a 17-year-old at that time.

The documentary also shines light upon Wayne Rooney being England’s golden boy at the 2004 Euros at the mere age of 17. Rooney talks about thinking he was the best player in the world, but unfortunately his tournament ended as he got injured in the Round of 16 and England went on to lose on penalties. His most controversial moment for England came in the 2006 World Cup when he was sent off against Portugal for stepping on a player, him admitting he didn’t know if he did it on purpose or not. Being a star since day one, Wayne was always under scrutiny from the English media since the age of 16. 

These are the major topics touched upon in Rooney’s documentary, which is mostly based on his personal life and issues that he has had in his career. Rooney was never exactly a glamorous figure either on or off the pitch; this image was reinforced by a series of sleazy incidents that ensured he became a grubby tabloid fodder. There is a strong element of reputational rehabilitation here, with lengthy sequences showing Rooney engaging in wholesome family activities and meekly accepting criticism from his wife Coleen, with interviews showing him doing his best to be frank.

In fact, Rooney’s desire to bare his soul may yet get him into trouble, given he recently admitted to having deliberately set out to hurt an opponent in a key game against Chelsea — a remark the FA is taking an interest in.