{"id":349955,"date":"2025-08-16T20:20:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T20:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/349955\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T20:20:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T20:20:18","slug":"wayne-rooney-hits-back-at-claims-about-his-intelligence-as-man-united-and-england-legend-gives-candid-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/349955\/","title":{"rendered":"Wayne Rooney hits back at claims about his intelligence as Man United and England legend gives candid interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

By YASEEN ZAMAN, SPORTS REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 15:16 EDT, 16 August 2025 | Updated: 15:48 EDT, 16 August 2025 <\/p>\n

Wayne Rooney<\/a> has hit back at long-held perceptions about his intelligence, insisting he is far more rounded and self-educated than many give him credit for.<\/p>\n

The former Manchester United<\/a> and England star, now 39, has spent much of his life in the public eye, from his teenage breakthrough at Everton<\/a> to becoming the Red Devils’ record goalscorer.<\/p>\n

But alongside his glittering playing career, Rooney has often had to battle stereotypes and assumptions about who he is off the pitch.<\/p>\n

Rooney has found himself in front of the cameras once again, only this time in a very different light, working as a pundit for the\u00a0BBC<\/a>‘s football highlights show, Match of the Day.<\/p>\n

Rooney\u2019s transition from management to broadcasting comes after spells at Plymouth Argyle,\u00a0Derby County<\/a>, DC<\/a> United and Birmingham City<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking candidly, he revealed that one of the most persistent misconceptions he faces is about his education.<\/p>\n

\"Wayne <\/p>\n

Wayne Rooney has insisted that he is not uneducated and that he makes a personal effort to teach himself<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The former England captain also revealed that he is much softer off the pitch than he was on the football field during his playing career<\/p>\n

Rooney was asked by\u00a0BBC Sport<\/a>: ‘What do people get wrong about you the most?’<\/p>\n

The former Three Lions captain responded: ‘It’s no secret that I didn’t even take GCSEs but I think people assume because of that that I’m not educated, which is really wrong.<\/p>\n

‘I made a conscious effort when I was at Everton and Manchester United to educate myself in a lot of different things, such as black history and religion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘The reason I did that was because I wanted to hold conversations with my team-mates who are from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n

‘That was something I did to help me with my team-mates and help understand how they have been brought up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘That’s probably something people don’t understand about me.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rooney, who famously wore his heart on his sleeve during a ferocious career that saw him win five Premier League titles and a Champions League, also opened up about his softer side away from football.<\/p>\n

Asked to share something surprising about himself, the ex-striker – often remembered for his fearlessness on the pitch – admitted: ‘The one thing I can think of is I cry at everything on TV – X-Factor when people go through, I start crying.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Rooney <\/p>\n

Rooney signed an \u00a3800,000 deal to join the BBC’s punditry team for Match of the Day\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘As a player I was quite aggressive, but I’m actually quite soft really.’<\/p>\n

Following his sacking by Argyle on New Year’s Eve last year, Rooney has stepped into the world of punditry.<\/p>\n

He is believed to have signed a lucrative deal worth around \u00a3800,000 a year to join Match of the Day.<\/p>\n

Speaking to talkSPORT<\/a>\u00a0in June,\u00a0Rooney made no secret of his enjoyment of football analysis.<\/p>\n

He appeared to hint that his immediate future would involve more media work than management.<\/p>\n

The Merseyside native told the radio station: \u2018Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing. I\u2019m enjoying it. So, that\u2019s where I\u2019ll be.\u2019<\/p>\n


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