Rooney

Rooney’s former club are also enjoying a resurgence, with a 4-2 win over Brighton making it three on the trot and lifting them up to sixth place – level on points with Manchester City and one clear of Liverpool.

Part of that success has been down to the form of forward Bryan Mbeumo, who has scored three of his five goals in the last two games.

Rooney admitted he was not convinced when United brought him to the club in the summer for £65m from Brentford, but said the 26-year-old Cameroon international is now living up to expectations.

“His energy, his work-rate, his desire, is what you need to be a United player. I did say that I was a little bit unsure, but I think what he’s shown is he belongs there,” added Rooney.

“He’s been consistent with his performances, I think that’s the main thing. If you’re consistently getting into the right positions, and getting chances, you will score 20 goals a season.”

COLEEN Rooney has taken a fresh swipe at her ex-pal Rebekah Vardy as she uses their Wagatha Christie row to cash in – AGAIN.

Wayne’s wife was famously embroiled in a six-year fight with fellow WAG Rebekah when Coleen turned detective and accused Rebekah of leaking stories from her personal Instagram account.

In the infamous post, Coleen dramatically announced to the world: “It’s . . . Rebekah Vardy’s account.”

The iconic catchphrase was today used in a new TV advert for Paddy Power starring Coleen and other famous faces including Danny Dyer, Peter Crouch and Gemma Collings.

Cockney EastEnders legend Danny stars as a casino kingpin who flips out when he spots a prosecco glass on his blackjack table, shouting: “Which melt has left their drink on my felt?”

And in a nod to Coleen’s super sleuth skills, he gets a text from Coleen, which says: “It’s… Gemma Collins.”

READ MORE ON COLEEN ROONEY

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She then winks at the camera after being described by Danny as a “silent assassin”.

A TV insider told The Sun: “Even after all these years, people are obsessed with the Wagatha Christie case and Coleen’s detective work.

“The whole ordeal was a nightmare for Coleen at the time but she’s since made a lot of money from the experience and is happy to capitalise on it.

“Paddy Power is renowned for its hilarious media campaigns and this is yet another example.”

The advert for Paddy Power Games follows 39-year-old Coleen’s previous Wagatha Christie jab when she was announced as the investigator of Man City’s Financial Fair Play case in an hilarious sketch.

Coleen Rooney said: “I’ve been watching the same game almost my entire life, so it’s nice to have a bit of variety for once, and being back with the Paddy Power crew to film such a glamourous ad was brilliant.

“I loved getting dressed up and stepping into the madness of a Paddy Power casino world – Danny played the role of casino boss perfectly, plus I got to reprise my role as head of investigations….what more could you want!”

Rebekah – who’s married to Jamie Vardy – brought a multi-million pound case to court after Coleen publicly accused her of leaking to the press in October 2019.

Despite bringing a libel case against her, Rebekah’s reputation and finances were left hanging in tatters after she was savaged by Mrs Justice Steyn in her ruling.

She was ordered to pay Coleen Rooney £1.4million – picking up 90 per cent of Coleen’s bill after she sensationally lost the libel case.

Coleen went on to release a three-part documentary on Disney+ called Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story and land a place on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.

The ad, created by BBH London, hits screens this Saturday, October 18 to launch “all sorts of games for all sorts of treacles”. 

The GC delivers one of her most iconic one-liners as well as sequins and sass.

Gemma said:“Let me tell you something, this ad is pure glamour, and did you see the dress, that gorgeous number came home with me!

“Paddy Power Games went all out with this one, it felt like being on a Hollywood set – lights, camera, casino!

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“I had the best time living my best life at that craps table. It’s bold, it’s fun, and it’s got The GC written all over it!”

• Watch the full advert here.

Available for over a year

It’s a bit of a mad one with Wayne this episode that includes Liverpool v Man Utd chat, his birthday weekend, opinions on England and Marcus Rashford, and meet-ups with 50 Cent and Ed Sheeran.

Wayne takes us inside his 40th birthday bash, but who did he dress up as? Which songs did he belt out on karaoke? And who ended up with a nasty injury?

Musician and Liverpool fan Jamie Webster joins Wayne, Kelly and Kae to discuss why their rivalry with Manchester United is the biggest in English football. But who is this match more important for: Arne Slot or Ruben Amorim?

Jamie’s appearance on the show leads to a number of musical revelations from Wayne: how did he end up on stage with 50 Cent? And Why did Coleen have to step in when he tried to change an Ed Sheeran song?

Wayne gives his thoughts on England’s World Cup qualification and explains why he’s pleased the players are less certain of their places under Thomas Tuchel. He also has strong words for Marcus Rashford’s recent comments about the “inconsistent environment” at Old Trafford not helping his form.

Meanwhile, we discover what led Wayne and Jermain Defoe to watch his entire wedding DVD together while they were away at the 2010 World Cup and what was Wayne gutted to find out on the last day at Glastonbury?

You can watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube, iPlayer, as well as listen on BBC Sounds.

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He continued: “What you have now is [rival teams’] players training [together] before they go back to pre-season together – Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford for instance.

“It’s a different generation. The big thing is the media coverage of it is much better. The players get on better with the media. From the outside that gives a better feeling.”

Gerrard, speaking as a guest on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said several former Manchester United and Liverpool players get on better now as pundits than they ever did as England team-mates.

“I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my team-mates, with England,” he said.

In response, Rooney said: “It [was] difficult to have that relationship with Liverpool and Man Utd players. It’s easier now.

“I speak to Steven all the time 1760074340. You can have better relationships now because you can have a beer together and relax more.

“I was fine with everyone, I got on with everyone. I was aware Becks [David Beckham] and Gary Neville and Scholesy [Paul Scholes], you could see they weren’t going to be close to the Liverpool players.

“But one thing for sure is everyone worked hard for each other. I don’t think that was an issue. We just didn’t manage to get over the line. I didn’t see that at all.”

Rooney, like Gerrard, played in six major tournaments for England but only reached quarter-finals.

But he said the players always “100%” “believed we could win for sure”.

Watch the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube,, external and iPlayer. Listen on BBC Sounds.

WAYNE ROONEY has been encouraged to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the boxing ring in a football super fight.

Malik Scott, former coach of heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, suggested the fight, labelling such a bout a ‘global event.’

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Scott, 44, told CanadaCasino: “Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Wayne Rooney would bring more eyes to boxing, and I’m all for it.

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“Any time boxing gets more attention, it’s a good thing. I want people to enjoy the spectacle, not just critique it.

“Just enjoy the carnival. It would be a global event because these are high-level names that would draw huge numbers.”

Scott is no stranger to the world of football, having married fan-favourite CBS sports broadcaster Kate Abdo in September last year.

His prospective competitors were iconic teammates at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, making over 200 appearances together.

Their relationship was believed to have turned cold following Ronaldo‘s protests to the referee earning Rooney a red card in a 2006 World Cup quarter final, which Portugal would go on to win on penalties.

He also made headlines for his comments on the heated Messi vs Ronaldo debate, backing the Argentinian over his former teammate.

But earlier this week the England legend rubbished rumours of bad blood between the two on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

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Rooney, 39, said: “People think I hate him (Ronaldo).

“I love him. I think he’s an absolute genius and what he’s doing is incredible.

“I love Cristiano and playing with him. I don’t think people realise actually how close me and him were.”

While it seems that a boxing score-settler between the two is unlikely, it is not the only fight that Rooney has been tipped of late.

He was called out earlier this week by former Leeds United and Ireland international keeper Paddy Kenny.

Kenny is himself set to face former Prem footballer Curtis Davies at a charity event next month, and is keen to keep the ball rolling on his new boxing escapades.

Rooney was 21 when he helped carry Hatton’s championship belts into the ring alongside legendary Mexican boxer Marco Antonio Barrera before the Castillo fight.

“It was one of the most nervous I have ever been,” said Rooney.

“I was in the pool all day in Vegas, it was hot, and my face got a bit burnt, but then I remember standing in the dressing room and being nervous.

“He hadn’t lost at that time. I was thinking, ‘He does not lose tonight. Is it on you? Is it your fault?'”

Hatton went on to retain his IBO light welterweight crown with a stunning fourth-round knockout.

Rooney said they went to a beach party afterwards with family and had “a great day”.

He added: “So often you see any type of celebrity who are not really relatable, but Ricky was certainly relatable and good fun to be around.”

MICHAEL OWEN has launched a passionate defence of his own career after being compared to Wayne Rooney on social media.

Owen, 45, has made sure everybody remembers just how good he was in his youth, replying to a question over who was better at 17 between Rooney and the former Real Madrid man.

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Fans online have been debating the topic of which breakthrough teenager was the better player, given that both Owen and Rooney burst on to the scene and impressed at such young ages.

But in reply to a post asking who was better aged 17, Owen laid out the facts as to why he thinks his early years trump Wazza’s.

He wrote on X: “At 17 I scored 18 PL goals (winning the Golden Boot), Wazza scored 6.

“At 18, I again scored 18 goals (again winning the Golden Boot and coming 4th in The Ballon d’Or), Wazza scored 9.

“In our opening 7 seasons, Wazza didn’t outscore me once (117 goals v 80). In which time I became the 2nd youngest Ballon d’Or winner ever.

“Injuries hindered me from then on while he sustained his level.

“Therefore, he’ll go down as a better player than me. But, at 17, please…”

Owen won the Ballon d’Or in 2001 – the last Brit to lift the prestigious individual award.

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While he twice won the Premier League Golden Boot as a teenager, doing it at 18 and 19 years of age to become the youngest ever recipient of the award.

Despite Owen’s claims of scoring 18 goals in the Premier League aged 17, he had actually only bagged five league goals before his 18th birthday.

He went on to score a total of 18 during the 1996/97 season, subsequently winning his first Golden Boot, but scored 13 of those goals after his 18th birthday.

His later career tailed off, with injuries meaning Owen ended his playing days with a total of 223 goals in 483 appearances.

Rooney, on the other hand, notched 313 goals in 764 appearances.

Owen recently described his “agony” at the fact people don’t remember how good he was.

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents Podcast, Owen explained: “People will have only seen me or remember me in the later years when I’m getting worse and worse and worse and worse and worse.

“The agony for me is that nobody remembers. Only a few people remember what I was like when I was ten and 12 and 15 and 18 and maybe up to 22.

“I was past it and on the way down by 21 or whatever.

“That’s the agony because was there another 18-year-old that was anywhere near me at 18? I was light years clear of anything in my age group, anything in England.

“You can bring the next kid and the next kid and the next kid and the next one that scores ten goals and everybody’s like: ‘Oh, it’s the next Michael Owen’.

“But I was competing against great strikers. Now there’s like four, five good strikers in the Premier League.”

Rooney vs Owen before they turned 18

Here’s a look at how Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney’s careers looked before their 18th birthdays…

MICHAEL OWEN

• Club apps: 21
• Club goals: 9
• Club assists: 5
• International apps: 0
• International apps: 0

WAYNE ROONEY

• Club apps: 46
• Club goals: 9
• Club assists: 2
• International apps: 8
• International apps: 2

The challenge for Dowman is to remain grounded as his profile grows and the excitement over his potential builds.

“For Max and his family and friends, I’m sure they’re all living in a dream and a fairy tale and it probably hasn’t hit home yet,” Rooney said. “But you can see his future is so bright, he is going to have a massive future.

“Everyone you speak to in football, the same name keeps coming back: Max Dowman.

“It’s difficult for anyone. I think the first thing you’ve got to do is just stay around your family and close friends.

“Listen to them because there are going to be people out there who are trying to be your friend or trying to get in touch with you – some for good reasons, some for not so good reasons.

“You just have to make sure the people who are closer to you, you stay around them and listen to their advice rather than outsiders.”

As well as stepping up on the pitch, Rooney says there are also adjustments off it for a young player breaking into the first team.

“It’s surreal. It’s so strange that one minute you’re in the youth team and the next you’re in the first-team dressing room with some of your heroes,” Rooney said.

“For me, it was some of my heroes growing up, then we’re training, we’re playing, we’re becoming friends.

“I was around at Duncan Ferguson’s house. He lived on the same road as me, and I’m just chilling with him and Alan Stubbs. And you’re like, ‘what is going on here?’.

“It’s something you really need to get used to quickly because it can be overwhelming.

“Max Dowman looks like a very level-headed lad from everything I’ve seen and you hope he manages to deal with it and understands what’s coming his way very soon.”

Rooney’s main words of advice for Dowman come from the heart.

“Enjoy it. I’m sure we’re going to see so much of him, so much of his talent and goals and assists, whatever,” he said.

“Alan Stubbs always said to me years ago, ‘make sure you enjoy it because it goes very quickly’.

“When you’re young, you don’t think that or you sometimes forget that, but enjoy it and make the most of it.”

Watch the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube,, external and iPlayer. Listen on BBC Sounds.

The government of the United Kingdom has warned Irish novelist Sally Rooney against funding Palestine Action after she pledged support to the campaign group banned by the Labour-led government as a “terrorist” group last month.

The prime minister’s office said on Monday that “support for a proscribed organisation is an offence under the Terrorism Act” and warned against backing such organisations.

“There is a difference between showing support for a proscribed organisation, which is an offence under the Terrorism Act, and legitimate protest in support of a cause,” a spokesperson was quoted by PA Media.

In an opinion piece in the Irish Times on Saturday, Rooney, the author of best-selling novels such as Normal People and Conversations with Friends, criticised the government’s move to ban the pro-Palestinian group.

“Activists who disrupt the flow of weapons to a genocidal regime may violate petty criminal statutes, but they uphold a far greater law and a more profound human imperative: to protect a people and culture from annihilation,” she wrote in the article.

Palestine Action was banned after its activists broke into a military base in central England in June and sprayed red paint on two planes in protest against the UK’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children.

What’s Palestine Action?

Since its founding in 2020, Palestine Action has disrupted the arms industry in the UK with “direct action”. It says it is “committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.

Israel has been accused of widespread abuses in its 22 months of war on Gaza. The International Court of Justice in January 2024 said Israeli actions in Gaza were plausibly genocide. Since then, multiple rights organisations have called Israel’s war a genocide. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes.

Rooney said she chose the Dublin-based newspaper to publicise her intention rather than a UK one as doing so “would now be illegal” in Britain after the government banned Palestine Action.

“The UK’s state broadcaster … regularly pays me residual fees. I want to be clear that I intend to use these proceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can,” she wrote.

Hundreds arrested

More than 700 supporters of Palestine Action have been arrested in the UK, mostly at demonstrations, since the group was outlawed under the Terrorism Act 2000.

“I feel obliged to state once more that like the hundreds of protesters arrested last weekend, I too support Palestine Action. If this makes me a ‘supporter of terror’ under UK law, so be it,” Rooney said.

The spokesperson from the prime minister’s office said Palestine Action was proscribed “based on security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, following an assessment made by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre”.

The government ban on Palestine Action came into force on July 5, days after it took responsibility for a break-in at an air force base in southern England that caused an estimated 7 million pounds ($9.3m) of damage to two aircraft.

The group said its activists were responding to Britain’s indirect military support for Israel during the war in Gaza.

Being a member of Palestine Action or supporting the group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. It places the campaign group on the same legal footing as ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda.

More than 500 people were arrested at a protest in London’s Parliament Square on August 9 for displaying placards backing the group. The number is thought to be the highest ever recorded number of detentions at a single protest in the capital.

At least 60 of them are due to face prosecution, police said.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has defended the proscription of the group, stating: “UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority.”

“The assessments are very clear – this is not a nonviolent organisation,” she said.

In her article, Rooney accused the UK government of “willingly stripping its own citizens of basic rights and freedoms, including the right to express and read dissenting opinions, in order to protect its relationship with Israel”.

Coleen Rooney is stepping into the spotlight with a Disney+ docuseries alongside husband Wayne, aiming to silence critics who have been questioning her success

After years in the background of Wayne Rooney’s football career, Coleen Rooney is stepping into her own spotlight and she has her mind set on proving her doubters wrong.

Fresh off her success as runner-up on I’m A Celebrity, the 39-year-old mum-of-four is said to be more determined than ever to be recognised as more than just a footballer’s wife. According to an insider, she’s had enough of assumptions about staying with Wayne for financial reasons after his infidelities and addiction issues.

“She’s sick of hearing that she would be nothing without Wayne or she only stays for the money. She’s now a multimillionaire in her own right and she’s not stopping there. This is just the start for Coleen and she can be very determined when she wants to be.”

Having turned down career opportunities while raising their four sons, Kai, Klay, Kit, and Cass, proud mum Coleen is reportedly now focused on building her own brand, and insiders say she was the driving force behind the couple’s lucrative new deal with Disney+.

“She’s the reason they got this big Disney deal,” the insider told The Sun. “I’m A Celeb proved that she’s just as big a star as Wayne. It’s the ultimate revenge on her doubters.”

The couple’s upcoming docuseries, created by the producers behind Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, will offer rare insight into their home life with their four young sons. Cameras will follow Wayne, 39, as he trades football training for school runs, while Coleen continues her business ventures.

Speaking to The Mirror, a source revealed earlier this month: “They could be bigger than not just the Beckhams, but the Kardashians.”

With Wayne recently dismissed from his managerial role at Plymouth Argyle and reportedly rejecting a lower-league job, the couple are reportedly seeing the series as a new chapter in both their personal lives and careers.

PR expert Dermot McNamara believes the show could reshape their public image, but not without challenges. “This will be their biggest test yet,” he said.

“Even though they’ve been famous since they were teenagers, we haven’t ever seen what their lives are really about. There’s so much we don’t know about them, like how they talk, how they parent. We’re going to get a fresh perspective.”

Coleen’s time on I’m A Celebrity showed glimpses of her resilience, but even still, questions about Wayne’s scandals resurfaced as she was quizzed on her heartache by her fellow campmates.

“She let people in, but was still guarded,” Dermot said. “Now we might finally see how she lives with all that public heartache.”

Despite the controversies, Coleen has built her own fortune with books, fashion, and fitness deals, and now, the Rooneys are ready to take control of their story with their brand-new show which has already been predicted as one of their biggest successes yet.

The Mirror has approached Coleen’s representatives for comment on this story.

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