Jermain Defoe has revealed that Wayne Rooney frequently showed a different aspect of his character off the football field. The Premier League icon was brimming with self-assurance and intensity when emerging through Everton's ranks at just 16 years old.
Rooney's rise to stardom
Rooney swiftly rose to worldwide fame and demonstrated fearlessness when facing more seasoned professionals as he progressed through the sport's upper echelons. Following an impressive showing for England at Euro 2004, he moved to Manchester United for £25.6million, becoming the world's most expensive teenage footballer.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Rooney's championship mindset and competitive drive were evident as he secured five Premier League titles, the Champions League, and countless other trophies. These qualities, alongside his innate talent, enabled him to become United's and England's record goalscorer, although Harry Kane has since surpassed that international record.
Defoe on Rooney's humble nature
Having been in the public eye from a young age, the now-40-year-old's personality was extensively documented. Nevertheless, his former England colleague Defoe has offered a glimpse into Rooney's more modest and compassionate disposition after witnessing an alternative facet of his personality.
"Wayne Rooney was special," Defoe said on The Warm-Up podcast by William Hill. "I could talk about his footballing ability for hours because he is one of the best players England has ever produced, but away from football he is so humble."
"He has so much love for people; you see it and you feel it. Because of how he is as a person, good things were always going to happen for him."
Rooney's selfless team ethic
The United legend and his family feature in a new Disney+ docuseries, The Real Rooneys. While the England icon had already begun to showcase his personality as a pundit, Defoe, who lined up alongside Rooney for the Three Lions on 28 occasions, has warm recollections of their partnership.
"He was so natural, and he enjoyed it. He used to tell me to make runs and he would find me," Defoe continued. "I got the feeling that he wanted me to score. To be like that, you have to be a special person.
"I played with a lot of centre forwards who, if they're on the bench and you score, you can see that they're raging. Rooney was completely different. He would score goals, but it wasn't about that for him – it was about winning.
"He could do everything. He scored a lot of goals when he was young but then sacrificed that for a few years at Manchester United to become a winger and allow Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez to do what they do. He was humble enough to be on the side of that but know that it was helping them to win the Premier League. That's all he was focused on."
Rooney's career numbers
Having ended his 13-year spell at United, Rooney left with a remarkable tally of 253 goals in 559 appearances. Internationally, he scored 53 goals across 120 England caps, while Defoe found the net 20 times for the Three Lions in 57 appearances.
