Former England captain David Beckham once identified a young Scottish talent as the next Wayne Rooney during a glamour friendly between Rangers and AC Milan in 2009. Sixteen years later, that same prodigy finds himself playing in England's fourth tier with Chesterfield, having navigated a career path far removed from the superstar trajectory Beckham might have predicted.
The Ibrox Showdown That Sparked Comparisons
In February 2009, a 17-year-old John Fleck started for Rangers against Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan side featuring global icons including Beckham, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, and Andriy Shevchenko. The friendly match ended 2-2, with Rangers taking the lead through DaMarcus Beasley before equalising via Sasa Papac after Milan had fought back.
Despite sharing the pitch with some of football's biggest names, it was the teenage Fleck who captured Beckham's attention. The England legend, then on loan from LA Galaxy, addressed growing comparisons between the Rangers academy graduate and Manchester United superstar Wayne Rooney.
"John is a good player and it is great for any young player to have the chance to play for such a big club as Rangers," Beckham remarked after the match. "People say there have been comparisons between John and Wayne. There aren't too many players like Wayne in my experience."
Managing Expectations and Early Career
Fleck himself remained grounded about the lofty comparisons, telling Sky Sports in 2010: "People definitely expected too much of me. I'm still a young boy and I think people expected me just to come out and be like Wayne Rooney every week but that's not going to happen."
The young midfielder acknowledged the pressure while asking for patience from supporters, recognising that developing into a world-class talent required time rather than immediate stardom.
Despite the weight of expectation, Fleck enjoyed considerable success during his early years at Rangers. He was part of three title-winning teams and clinched the Scottish Cup in 2008, making 58 appearances across five seasons before his departure in 2012.
A Solid Professional Career Takes Shape
After leaving Rangers, Fleck signed for Coventry City where he spent four seasons before finding his most successful professional footing at Sheffield United in 2016. It was at Bramall Lane that Fleck arguably enjoyed the peak of his career, becoming a pivotal figure in Chris Wilder's team as they climbed from League One to the Premier League.
During the 2019/20 campaign, Fleck made 30 league appearances as Sheffield United secured an impressive ninth-place finish in the top flight. His consistent performances eventually earned him international recognition, with Fleck winning his first cap for Scotland in October 2019 - more than a decade after Beckham's praise - and going on to earn five international caps.
After seven-and-a-half years and 278 appearances for Sheffield United, Fleck's career took him to Blackburn Rovers in February 2024. However, injury limited him to just one appearance before he joined League Two side Chesterfield, where the now 34-year-old has extended his contract for another year after featuring in 20 matches last term and making 10 appearances so far this season.
While the direct comparison to Rooney's stellar career ultimately proved wide of the mark, John Fleck has forged a respectable professional journey that many footballers would envy - from teenage prodigy facing footballing royalty to establishing himself as a reliable presence in the English leagues.
