Manchester United player profile - Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney was born on 24th October 1985 in Liverpool, England. Growing up in the suburb of Croxteth Wayne Rooney attended the De Le Salle school and played for the Liverpool Schoolboys and Dynamo Brownwings football teams. He was a talented player as a youngster which didn't go unnoiticed by the club he supported as a boy, Everton FC, who in 1996 officially signed Wayne Rooney for their youth team. He enjoyed a successful spell with the Everton youths which led to him signing a contract with the senior squad in 2002, at the age of sixteen. Wayne Rooney's footballing skills and ability have led to a number of landmark moments in his short career so far, each of which helped catapult him through the footballing ranks. The first of these moments came very early in his Everton playing career during October 2002 when he scored a fabulous last minute winning goal against league leaders Arsenal. 

Wayne Rooney's spectacular goal not only beat England keeper, David Seaman, and ended a thirty game unbeaten run for Arsenal but it also crowned him as the youngest player to score in the Premier League. Later at the end of 2002 the 'BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year' was named as Wayne Rooney. In early 2003 Wayne Rooney featured in Sven Goran Erikkson's England team, for a friendly against Australia, and became the youngest person to play for the national side. The following year Wayne Rooney burst onto the world stage when he shone out as one of the stars of the 2004 European Championships in Portugal. Wayne Rooney was England's top scorer in Euro 2004 and helped them to the quarter final stage where they faced the host nation, he was injured in the last 16 match against Croatia and didn't feature in the quarter final which England lost on penalties.

Wayne Rooney's performance in the Euro 2004 championships greatly increased his profile, value and marketability and made it difficult for Everton to hang on to him. Manchester United had shown much interest in Wayne Rooney and when a contract offered by Everton was rejected by his agent the door was left open for them to make an offer. Following much speculation Wayne Rooney finally became a Manchester United player on 31st August 2004 in a deal reportedly worth around £31 million. Wayne Rooney's United career got off to the best possible start, his debut came against Fenerbahce in September 2004 in a Champions League match when he scored a hat-trick in United's 6-2 win. His first trophy win came in 2006. when Manchester United beat Wigan 4-0 in the League Cup final, his first Premier League title win came with Manchester United in 2007 and the following season (2007/08)he was an integral part of the Manchester United squad who won the UEFA Champions League.