Wayne Rooney has disclosed that he is deaf in his left ear, a condition he says impacts his work as a pundit on BBC's Match of the Day. The former Manchester United and England captain made the admission during a behind-the-scenes segment of the programme, in which he explained why he requests an earpiece in his right ear.
Speaking to a BBC crew member, Rooney said: 'Can I do it in this ear? I used to close the talkback. The problem is I'm deaf in my left ear. So when it's too loud I struggle to hear what Kelly Cates [MOTD presenter] or whoever is saying.' The 40-year-old has not previously publicly addressed his hearing loss, and it remains unclear when or for how long he has experienced it.
Rooney, who signed a lucrative deal reportedly worth £800,000 annually with the BBC, also commented on Manchester United's dominant 2-0 victory over Manchester City, which was analysed on the show. He praised the performance as 'the best I've seen from a Manchester United team in a long, long time' and highlighted the impact of interim manager Michael Carrick, describing him as someone who 'knows the club, knows the culture, knows the DNA'.
The former striker has not ruled out a return to management after leaving his previous role, but for now continues as a regular pundit on Match of the Day and hosts his own podcast. During the programme, he was introduced by presenter Mark Chapman as 'John Rooney's brother' after his sibling's Macclesfield side eliminated Crystal Palace from the FA Cup.
