Wayne Rooney Biography: Age, Wife, Family, Career, Stats, Records and Net Worth

This Wayne Rooney biography covers the full journey of one of the greatest English footballers of all time. Wayne Rooney was born in Liverpool on 24 October 1985, and he turns 41 years old on 24 October 2026. He is the all-time top scorer of Manchester United with 253 goals, and he held the England scoring record with 53 goals from 2015 to 2023.

Rooney is best known for his power, his work rate, and his goals. He won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United, and he is the only player in Premier League history with more than 200 goals and more than 100 assists. He captained England 23 times and he played at six major tournaments.

This article covers the age, wife, family, career, stats, records, and net worth of Wayne Rooney in simple English. It also answers the most common questions about his clubs, his England career, and his life after playing.

Quick Facts

Detail	Fact
Full name	Wayne Mark Rooney
Date of birth	24 October 1985
Age (as of October 2026)	40 years (turns 41 on 24 October 2026)
Birthplace	Croxteth, Liverpool, England
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position	Forward (also played in midfield)
Wife	Coleen Rooney (married on 12 June 2008)
Children	Four sons: Kai, Klay, Kit, and Cass
Parents	Jeanette Marie Rooney and Thomas Wayne Rooney
England debut	12 February 2003 against Australia
England caps and goals	120 caps and 53 goals
England captain	23 occasions in total
Clubs	Everton, Manchester United, Everton, D.C. United, Derby County
Major trophies	16 (all with Manchester United)
Current role	Television pundit

Early Life and Education

Wayne Mark Rooney was born in Croxteth, Liverpool, on 24 October 1985. His parents are Jeanette Marie Rooney and Thomas Wayne Rooney. He grew up in Croxteth with two younger brothers, Graham and John.

Football filled the early life of Rooney. He joined the Everton academy at the age of nine, and he rose fast through the youth teams. In 2002, he scored eight goals in eight games during the FA Youth Cup run of Everton, and the run earned him a chance with the first team at the start of the next season.

As a youth player, Rooney showed the traits that defined his whole career: power, a fierce shot, and a hunger to win the ball. Coaches at Everton saw a player who was ready for senior football long before his 17th birthday.

Family

Wayne Rooney met Coleen McLoughlin at the age of 12 in Croxteth, and the two became childhood sweethearts. The couple got engaged in 2003 and married on 12 June 2008 in Portofino, Italy.

The couple has four sons. Kai was born on 2 November 2009. Klay was born on 21 May 2013. Kit was born on 24 January 2016. Cass was born on 15 February 2018.

Coleen built a career of her own in media, with newspaper columns and a television show. The family lived in England and in the United States during the playing career of Rooney, and the family later settled in Cheshire.

Coleen worked as a columnist for magazines and hosted her own television series. She stayed in the public eye through her own work, and she has spoken in interviews about the pressure of life with a famous footballer. The couple has stayed together since their teenage years, and their marriage has lasted for more than 17 years.

Club Career

The club career of Wayne Rooney took him to five clubs in three countries. He started at Everton, became a legend at Manchester United, returned to Everton, played in America for D.C. United, and finished his playing career at Derby County. He won 16 trophies with Manchester United along the way.

Everton

The club career of Wayne Rooney began at Everton, the club he supported as a boy. He made his senior debut on 17 August 2002 against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park, at the age of 16.

His first senior goals came on 2 October 2002, when he scored twice against Wrexham in the League Cup. The goals made him the youngest scorer in the history of Everton at the time.

On 19 October 2002, five days before his 17th birthday, Rooney scored a last-minute winner against Arsenal with a dipping shot from long range. The goal ended the 30-match unbeaten run of Arsenal and made him the youngest scorer in the history of the Premier League at the time.

In his first season, Rooney scored 8 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions. In August 2004, he handed in a transfer request and joined Manchester United before the transfer deadline.

Manchester United

Rooney made his Manchester United debut on 28 September 2004 against Fenerbahce in the Champions League. He scored a hat-trick in a 6-2 win, and he never looked back.

He stayed at United for 13 seasons, from 2004 to 2017. In all competitions, he made 559 appearances, scored 253 goals, and recorded 146 assists. On 21 January 2017, his 250th goal for the club, against Stoke City, took him past the record of Bobby Charlton and made him the all-time top scorer of Manchester United.

With United, Rooney won the Premier League five times, in 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13. He won the Champions League in 2008, the Europa League in 2016-17, the FA Cup in 2015-16, the League Cup three times, the Community Shield four times, and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2008. In total, he won 16 trophies with the club.

His first senior trophy came in February 2006, when he scored twice in the League Cup final against Wigan. His first Premier League title followed in 2006-07. His fifth and final league title came in 2012-13. In his final season at Old Trafford, 2016-17, United won the Europa League.

The best season of Rooney at United came in 2009-10, when he scored 34 goals and won the PFA Player of the Year award and the FWA Footballer of the Year award. In February 2011, he scored a famous overhead kick against Manchester City, a goal that is still shown in lists of the greatest goals in Premier League history.

Rooney played as a forward for most of his United career, but he also played in midfield roles. He dropped deep to link play, and his passing and vision made him more than a scorer of goals.

In December 2008, he scored the winning goal in the FIFA Club World Cup final, and he was named the best player of the tournament. United also reached the Champions League finals in 2009 and 2011, but did not win either final.

Everton Return

In July 2017, Rooney returned to Everton at the age of 31, 13 years after he had left Goodison Park. He signed a two-year contract and came back as a five-time Premier League winner.

In his second spell at Everton, he made 31 league appearances and scored 10 league goals. In the summer of 2018, he moved to the United States to join D.C. United in Major League Soccer.

D.C. United

Rooney played for D.C. United in 2018 and 2019. D.C. United signed him in June 2018, and he captained the club during his time in Washington. He made 48 league appearances and scored 23 league goals, and his goals and assists lifted a team that had struggled before his arrival.

In August 2019, Derby County announced that Rooney would join the club in January 2020 as a player-coach. He left D.C. United at the end of the 2019 season.

Derby County

Rooney joined Derby County in January 2020 as a player-coach. He made 30 league appearances and scored 6 league goals for the club.

In November 2020, he took charge of the team as interim manager, and in January 2021 he became the permanent manager and retired as a player. His playing career ended with 569 league appearances and 237 league goals across five clubs.

International Career

The international career of Wayne Rooney lasted 15 years, from 2003 to 2018. He won 120 caps and scored 53 goals for England. He played at three World Cups and three European Championships, and he captained England 23 times.

Debut and Euro 2004

Rooney made his England debut on 12 February 2003 against Australia at Upton Park. He came on as a substitute for Michael Owen at the age of 17 years and 111 days, and he became the youngest player to play for England at the time. Theo Walcott broke that record in 2006.

His first England goal came on 6 September 2003 against Macedonia in a Euro 2004 qualifier. At 17 years and 317 days, he became the youngest scorer in the history of England, and the record still stands.

At Euro 2004 in Portugal, Rooney became a world star. He scored four goals in the tournament, with two goals against Switzerland and two goals against Croatia. He left the quarter-final against Portugal with an injury after 27 minutes, and England lost on penalties. He was named in the team of the tournament.

World Cups and Captaincy

Rooney played at the World Cups of 2006, 2010, and 2014. He had to wait until his third World Cup to score his first goal on that stage, against Uruguay in Brazil in 2014. At the 2006 World Cup, he was sent off in the quarter-final against Portugal, and England lost on penalties.

He first captained England against Brazil in November 2009. In the same year, he celebrated his 50th cap against Ukraine with a goal. After the retirement of Steven Gerrard from international football in 2014, Rooney became the permanent captain of England. He led the team at Euro 2016, where he scored a penalty against Iceland in the last 16. England lost that match 2-1.

In September 2015, his penalty against Switzerland made him the top scorer in the history of England, with 50 goals, past the record of Bobby Charlton. He finished with 53 goals, and the record stood until Harry Kane passed it in March 2023.

Final Years

Rooney announced his retirement from international football in August 2017. He returned for one farewell match on 15 November 2018 against the United States at Wembley, and the match served as his 120th and final cap.

His 120 caps make him the most-capped outfield player in the history of England. Only the goalkeeper Peter Shilton, with 125 caps, has more appearances for England.

Across his England career, Rooney scored 53 goals, with 7 penalties and 2 direct free kicks.

His goals came in every type of match. He scored 14 goals in friendlies, 30 goals in qualifiers, and 7 goals in tournament finals. He scored 16 goals in World Cup qualifiers and 14 goals in European Championship qualifiers.

Managerial Career

The managerial career of Wayne Rooney began at Derby County. He took charge as interim manager in November 2020 and became permanent manager in January 2021. He worked under hard conditions, with the club in administration and hit by points deductions totalling 21 points. The club had to sell several first-team players, and the team finished the season with only a handful of recognised first-team players. The club spent the whole season in the relegation zone. Derby were relegated from the Championship in 2022, and Rooney left the club in June 2022.

In July 2022, he became head coach of D.C. United. He left the club by mutual consent in October 2023 after the team missed the play-offs. Reports on his time in Washington noted that the team improved in attack and defence under his coaching.

In October 2023, he became manager of Birmingham City. Birmingham were sixth in the Championship when he arrived. He won only 2 of 15 matches in charge, and the club sacked him in January 2024. Reports said that the club asked him to play a style that did not suit the players he had.

In May 2024, he became manager of Plymouth Argyle on a three-year deal. He left the club in December 2024 after 25 matches, with 5 wins. The team sat near the bottom of the Championship when he left.

The table in the Stats section shows the full managerial record of Rooney across his four jobs.

Playing Style

Rooney played mainly as a forward, but he also played in midfield roles. He combined power with technique, and he could score from long range, head the ball, and finish from close range.

Managers used him in many roles because he could pass, tackle, and score. He played as a lone striker, as a second striker, and as a central midfielder at different points of his career.

His passing and vision set him apart from a pure scorer. At Manchester United, he recorded 146 assists. He dropped deep to start attacks, and his work rate made him a leader on the pitch.

Of his 53 England goals, 37 came from his right foot, 11 from headers, and 5 from his left foot. Seven came from penalties and 2 came from direct free kicks.

Rooney was known for his temper as a young player, and he learned to control it as his career went on. His hunger and his drive stayed with him from his first game to his last.

Rooney also led teams. He wore the captain armband for Manchester United and D.C. United, and he captained England 23 times. His drive and his voice in the dressing room made him a leader as well as a scorer.

Stats

The table below shows the league appearances and goals of Wayne Rooney by club. League figures are used because they are counted the same way by every source. The totals come to 569 league appearances and 237 league goals.

Club	Period	League Appearances	League Goals
Everton	2002-2004	67	15
Manchester United	2004-2017	393	183
Everton	2017-2018	31	10
D.C. United	2018-2019	48	23
Derby County	2020-2021	30	6
Total	2002-2021	569	237

Beyond league games, Rooney scored 253 goals in 559 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United. He also scored 28 goals in 117 appearances for Everton across both spells, 25 goals in 52 appearances for D.C. United, and 7 goals in 35 appearances for Derby County.

The table below shows the England record of Wayne Rooney by competition. The figures cover 120 caps and 53 goals between 2003 and 2018.

Competition	Caps	Goals
Friendly	44	14
World Cup qualifier	26	16
World Cup finals	11	1
European Championship qualifier	27	14
European Championship finals	10	6
FA Summer Tournament	2	2
Total	120	53

The table below shows the managerial record of Wayne Rooney by club. The figures cover 177 matches in total, with 46 wins, 44 draws, and 87 losses.

Club	Period	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses
Derby County	2020-2022	84	25	21	38
D.C. United	2022-2023	53	14	13	26
Birmingham City	2023-2024	15	2	4	9
Plymouth Argyle	2024	25	5	6	14
Total	2020-2024	177	46	44	87

Records

• All-time top scorer of Manchester United: 253 goals, a record that still stands.
• Top scorer in the history of England from 2015 to 2023, with 53 goals, until Harry Kane passed the mark in March 2023.
• Youngest scorer in the history of England: 17 years and 317 days, a record that still stands.
• Youngest player to play for England at the time: 17 years and 111 days, a record that Theo Walcott broke in 2006.
• Only player in Premier League history with more than 200 goals and more than 100 assists: 208 goals and 103 assists.
• Most-capped outfield player in the history of England: 120 caps. Only the goalkeeper Peter Shilton, with 125 caps, has more.
• 183 Premier League goals for Manchester United, a record for one club at the time, since passed by Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane.
• Youngest scorer in Premier League history at the time, with the winner against Arsenal on 19 October 2002.
• Youngest scorer in European Championship history at the time, at 18 years and 237 days, a record that lasted four days.
• Second in the list of all-time Premier League scorers, behind Alan Shearer with 260 goals.

Awards and Honours

Rooney won many individual awards across his career. The list below covers his main awards and honours.

• Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022.
• PFA Player of the Year award in 2009-10.
• FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009-10.
• PFA Young Player of the Year in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
• Premier League Player of the Season in 2009-10.
• Golden Boy award in 2004.
• Named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2011.
• Fifth place in the Ballon d’Or voting in 2011, his highest finish.
• England Player of the Year in 2008, 2010, 2014, and 2015.
• Named in the UEFA Euro 2004 Team of the Tournament.
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball in 2008.
• BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2002.

Net Worth

Reports differ on the net worth of Wayne Rooney, and no exact figure is confirmed. Reported estimates range from about 126 million pounds to about 170 million pounds. These figures are reported estimates, not confirmed facts.

The main sources of his wealth, as described in reports, include his earnings as a player, his endorsement deals, and his later work in management and media. At his peak at Manchester United, his reported weekly wage was about 300,000 pounds. Reports link him with endorsement deals with brands such as Nike, EA Sports, and Coca-Cola. Reports also say that he and Coleen bought a six-bedroom home in Cheshire for 20 million pounds in 2019.

Because the estimates differ across sources and years, this article presents the net worth figure only as a reported estimate. The exact total of his wealth is not public.

Life After Playing

After his last job in management, Rooney moved into television work as a pundit, including work for the BBC. He has said in interviews that he wants to return to management, and that the next job would have to be the right club in the right situation.

He has worked as a television pundit on domestic and European coverage. His media work keeps him close to the game while he waits for the right coaching job.

As of October 2026, he has not taken another manager job. His playing record keeps his name among the greats of English football.

Conclusion

The story of Wayne Rooney is a story of a boy from Croxteth who became the top scorer of Manchester United and England. He announced himself with a famous goal against Arsenal at the age of 16, and he was still breaking records more than 14 years later.

His career had highs and lows: great goals and trophies, a red card at a World Cup, and hard years in management. Through it all, his hunger and his love for the game stayed clear.

For young readers, the main lesson is clear. Talent opens the door, but work keeps it open. Rooney played at the top for nearly 20 years because he worked, he adapted, and he never stopped competing. That is why his name still stands among the greats of English football.

His numbers tell the story: 253 goals for Manchester United, 53 goals for England, and 208 goals in the Premier League. Few players in the long history of English football can match that record.

Today, Rooney works in television and waits for the right chance to manage again. His records at Manchester United and England still set the standard for the players who follow him.

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