There can be no doubt that Wayne Rooney is one of England and Manchester United's greatest players of all time. When he played his final game for each team, he left both sides as their record goalscorer.
With the Three Lions, he scored 53 goals in 120 appearances, overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton (49 goals in 106 appearances), before Harry Kane took his tally in 2023. At Old Trafford, Rooney still holds the record, with 253 strikes in 559 outings, once again overtaking Charlton's past record of 249 in 758.
Having had such a wonderful career, the retired striker has worked with some brilliant managers over the years. At club level, Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes were the most pivotal in his career, but he played under numerous big names during his time with the Three Lions.
However, one England boss stood out above the rest as Rooney's favourite.
Rooney's England Career
wayne rooney england
Rooney made his England debut in a 3-1 loss against Australia way back in 2003. Sven-Goran Eriksson called him into the senior set-up and oversaw him at Euro 2004, as the 18-year-old lit the tournament on fire with four goals, briefly becoming the youngest goalscorer in the history of the tournament.
The Swedish coach was also in charge at the 2006 World Cup. A half-fit Rooney failed to score at the tournament and then got himself a red card as his team crashed out at the quarter-final stage against Portugal.
After that, Steve McClaren came in, and this was a disastrous one-year spell in which England failed to qualify for Euro 2008. Fabio Capello replaced him, and Rooney scored nine goals during the Three Lions' 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, while also making his first-ever appearance as captain in a 2009 friendly against Brazil.
The 2010 World Cup did not go well, though, and Rooney even lashed out at his own fans after being booed off the pitch by their supporters following a 0-0 draw with Algeria. England were eliminated in the second round, following a 4-1 defeat to Germany.
Roy Hodgson was the nation's next permanent boss, replacing Capello after Euro 2012 ended in more disappointment. Rooney was suspended for the first two games of that tournament, but scored in the final group stage win against Ukraine. The striker, unfortunately, then missed his spot-kick as England went out on penalties to Italy in the quarter-finals.
Under Hodgson, Rooney captained England for the first time in a competitive match, but the 2014 World Cup ended in more disappointment, with the Man Utd icon slammed for his displays. He dropped into midfield for Euro 2016 and played well as the nation's permanent captain, earning the man of the match award after a draw vs Russia. Even so, Iceland would humiliate England in the round of 16.
Sam Allardyce would oversee just one game before Gareth Southgate came in. Rooney would work with his final manager only briefly. He was dropped from a squad in 2017, prompting his international retirement – although Southgate then wanted to recall him ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
On 4 November 2018, Rooney came out of international retirement to play one final match for England to promote The Wayne Rooney Foundation in a friendly against the United States. The Wembley legend came on in the 58th minute of a 3-0 home win, ending his international career with 120 appearances.
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Rooney's 'Best Period' for England Came Under Hodgson
Rooney has now revealed which manager was his 'favourite', picking a bit of a surprise name. Indeed, it was not Eriksson who gave him his debut and saw him shine at Euro 2024, nor was it Capello who made him captain for the first time. Instead, out of the six permanent bosses he had, it was Hodgson who stood out the most.
Rooney recently explained on BBC Sport's The Wayne Rooney Show why he enjoyed his time with the 78-year-old:
"My best period from an individual basis with England was under Roy.
"I thought he'd be quiet and then it might have been the first game or a half-time where he snapped and it took me back a little bit.
"But my favourite period of playing for England was under Roy and I think because we had a trust as well with each other."
Seeing as England did so poorly at the two tournaments Hodgson oversaw, it's a surprise Rooney picked him as the man who got the best out of him. He explained how he was sad to see the former Three Lions boss go after Euro 2016.
"I remember seeing the disappointment in Roy and I think we knew then that that was going to be the end of him," Rooney said.
"I was also starting to think potentially this is the end of my own career as well. I think that moment in that dressing room after the game was the worst I've ever felt."