Is there anything Wayne Rooney can’t do? Over the years he has played as a centre forward, an out and out striker, an attacking midfielder, as a winger on either sides, as a holding midfielder and even as a left back!
The ultimate team player, Wayne Rooney is Manchester United’s and England’s all time highest goalscorer which is by no means an ordinary feat, and has won it all with the club.
However, with playing time hard to come by , Wayne is reportedly looking to leave Old Trafford with Everton reportedly closing in on the English skipper to bring him back to the club where he started it all.
Having recently spotted at the Everton training ground, it looks like Wayne has decided to bring his legendary Man United chapter to a close and take on a new challenge in a bid to get back into form and back into the national squad, with one eye at the World Cup next year.
Having scored so many wonderful goals throughout his stellar career, it was quite a difficult job to pick some of his best. However we got there in the end. Here is a list of Rooney’s greatest goals in a Man United shirt.
5) Portsmouth(FA Cup 2007)
Every season Wayne Rooney tries something different and audacious to remind everyone of his genius. This was one of those occasions.
Picking the ball up after a patient build up from United which didn’t look like going anywhere , he took a touch or two and attempted an audacious lob from outside the Penalty box over Portsmouth keeper David James .
David James stood helplessly as the ball floated over his head to the right and ended up at the back of the net. It was pure genius.
4) West Ham(Premier League 2013)
Over the last few years, coinciding with Alex Ferguson’s retirement, Wayne Rooney has shown massive signs of decline, with spells of indifferent form lasting more than fans could care.
However, this was yet again another pure piece of brilliance from the United skipper . Wayne smashed the ball about 50 yards out ,from just inside West Ham’s half and over a scrambling West Ham keeper Adrian.
You could see the shock on the keeper’s face as he was send twisting and turning to no avail as the ball ended up at the back of the net.
This was a goal that showed his genius, excellence and opportunism, reminiscent of a David Beckham special against Wimbledon way back in 1997(Coincidentally he was watching the match at the West Ham stadium as well.
The look on his face told everything).
3) Arsenal(Premier League 2010)
Wayne Rooney was involved in a number of fantastic counter attacking goals over the years.
It was not easy picking one for the third spot, with a wonderful counter attacking involving himself and Cristiano Ronaldo tearing down the pitch on their own was magnificent as well.
However, the one he scored against Arsenal at the Emirates way back in 2010 just edges out purely for the magnitude of the game and for his improvisation.
From an Arsenal corner, Park Ji-Sung cleared to Rooney, in the middle of his own half, and thus began a swift counter-attack.
He spread the ball right to Nani, who sprinted forward, with Rooney just about keeping pace, powering through a path that opened up through the centre of the Arsenal defence.
It was a wonderful sight watching Rooney attempting to keep pace with Nani for a return pass he knew he would get .
And the way he adjusted his pace and stride at the last minute when he did receive the ball to slot it past the Arsenal keeper is a real indication of his presence of mind.
2) Manchester City(Premier League 2011)
This was among the greatest Premier League goals of the century, and for a good reason.
In a tight, tense and even affair, Portuguese winger Nani fired United into the lead at the end of the first half, only for City to pull level after 62 minutes thanks to David Silva’s shot taking a lucky deflection off Edin Dzeko’s back.
The game seemed destined for a draw, which, in truth, would have been a pretty fair outcome for both sides in a match that was potentially a title decider.
And then Wayne put on his magician’s hat.
When Nani put in a cross into the City penalty box, Rooney recognized that the ball was falling behind him and instead of attempting to take a touch and lay it off for someone, leapt into the air and dispatched the ball into the top corner of City’s goal with a spectacular and acrobatic bicycle kick.
A closer look at the goal would reveal that Rooney had shinned it. But did the 75000 odd people inside Old Trafford care?
1) Newcastle United(Premier League 2005)
Some would argue about why the overhead kick against Manchester City doesn’t occupy the top spot.
While that’s a great argument, the magnificent volley against Newcaste around 12 years ago just about edges it out purely because of the outstanding technique he displayed for the goal.
Rooney was having such a bad game that he was about to be substituted. To make things worse, he was involved in a running argument with referee Neale Barry over fouls not given against Alan Shearer.
And when he saw the ball floating in the air, the 19 year old Rooney channelled all his frustrations and anger on the ball with a thunderous volley that gave the keeper no chance to move an inch as it ended up at the back of the net.
Some goals are praised for their beauty, some for their grace.
However, there is always something about an aggressive one, and the sheer violence with which Wayne struck the ball is almost scary.
