FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

The thought of what Wayne Rooney might achieve at the FIFA World Cup™ is enough to whet the appetite of any England fan – without even getting to the other 22 members of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad.
Simply recalling how Rooney performed at the 2004 UEFA European Championship, his first major international tournament, should set English pulses racing. Forget stage fright, it was the Liverpudlian teenager who was terrifying the opposition.

Rooney struck twice against both Switzerland and Croatia to lead England to a quarter-final against Portugal where his early departure with a broken foot was a pivotal moment in a match Eriksson’s men eventually lost on penalties.

Now 20, he is widely considered the finest natural talent in English football since Paul Gascoigne but where Gazza was 22 when he made his international debut, Rooney – as his performances in Portugal showed – was already England’s most important player at 18. Just as he appears to do things at a different speed to everyone else on the football pitch, so his career has progressed on fast-play.

As a 14-year-old Rooney was starring for the U-19s at Everton, his boyhood club. Aged 16 he was in the Everton first team and signalled his arrival on the Premiership stage with an unforgettable first league goal against then champions Arsenal in October 2002. After taking the field as a late substitute he curled a spectacular last-minute strike over David Seaman to end Arsenal's 30-match unbeaten run.

The message was clear: with Rooney anything is possible. Just as defenders bounce off his stocky boxer's frame, so he sends records tumbling. He beat James Prinsep's 124-year record as England's youngest player when, aged 17 years and 111 days, he made his debut against Australia on 12 February 2003. Seven months later, he became England's youngest ever scorer when he struck the opening goal in a European Championship qualifying win in FYR Macedonia. He was 17 years and 317 days old.

The football pitch, in the words of Colin Harvey, his former youth coach at Everton, is Rooney’s ‘playground’. Although a striker, he does his best work from deep, using his strength and skill to run at defenders while his vision creates openings for others.

Michael Owen once described Rooney’s game as "running at people, playing in that hole, shooting from distance, passing the ball, bits of skill". In other words just about everything. Not surprising for someone known to excel in central defence during Young v Old games on the training ground – and who even enjoys trying his luck in goal.

After leaving Everton for Manchester United in August 2004, Rooney soon showed that he was cheap at the £27million United paid for him. He struck a remarkable hat-trick on his debut at Old Trafford against Fenerbahce in the UEFA Champions League and ended the 2004/05 season with 11 goals from 29 league appearances and the Young Player of the Year award.

He produced more of the same during the 2005/06 campaign, notably with his man-of-the-match display in the League Cup final against Wigan Athletic where his two goals helped United to a 4-0 triumph – and himself to the first winner’s medal of his career.

And although he did not net a single goal in England’s Germany 2006 qualifying campaign, the performance he gave in the friendly win over Argentina last November – a fearsome combination of raging bull and floating butterfly – underlines why England fans are expecting so much from him.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A wonderful, natural talent who burst on to the Premiership scene aged just 16, the Liverpool-born striker combines remarkable skill with a boxer's strength and vision beyond his years.

Club
He made his senior Everton FC debut against Tottenham Hotspur FC in August 2002 and Rooney's first league goal two months later was a last-gasp long-range beauty to end Arsenal FC's 30-match unbeaten run. On 2004 summer transfer deadline day he completed a €29.6m move - potentially rising to €40m - to Manchester United FC on a six-year contract. Marked his United debut with a UEFA Champions League hat-trick against Fenerbahçe SK and has continued to perform at a stunning level, striking twice in the 2006 League Cup final win against Wigan Athletic FC.

National team
Rooney became England's youngest player when, at 17 years and 111 days, he played against Australia in February 2003. In his first competitive appearance against Turkey he inspired England to a crucial UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying victory then became his country's youngest scorer when, still 17, he struck in F.Y.R. Macedonia. Scored twice at EURO against both Switzerland and Croatia before breaking his foot in the last-eight defeat by the hosts. He suffered more misery at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, being sent off against Portugal in the quarter-finals after recovering from a foot injury.

Did you know?
Rooney was the Everton mascot at a Merseyside derby in 1996/97.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

Wayne Rooney is a "street footballer", according to his manager at Everton FC, David Moyes. A wonderful, natural talent who burst on to the Premiership scene aged just 16, the Liverpool-born teenager combines remarkable skill with a boxer's strength and vision beyond his years.

National team
Rooney made history with his first international appearance, becoming England's youngest ever player when, at 17 years and 111 days, he played in the 3-1 friendly defeat by Australia in February 2003.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
He made his mark with a fearless display against Turkey in his first competitive appearance, inspiring England to a crucial 2-0 victory over their main Group 7 rivals. Then, at 17 years and 317 days, he became the youngest player to score a senior goal for his country when he struck the equaliser in the 2-1 away success against F.Y.R. Macedonia. He was at it again four days later with England's second goal in a 2-0 win against Liechtenstein.

Club
Rooney's debut season was a year to remember. Having led Everton to the FA Youth Cup final only three months earlier, he made his senior debut for his boyhood team against Tottenham Hotspur FC in August 2002. His first league goal followed two months later against Arsenal FC, a spectacular dipping strike in the last minute to end the Londoners' 30-match unbeaten record. He was still just 16 at the time. He ended his first season with six league goals.

Did you know?
Rooney was the Everton mascot at a Merseyside derby in 1996/97.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

Rooney made history when he got the first goal against FYR Macedonia by becoming the youngest player to score for England.

At just 17 years and 317 days old he erased Michael Owen from the record books.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's gamble to hand the teenager his first start against Turkey was repaid in spectacular fashion with a stunning display.

Rooney struggled against Slovakia, but the Everton striker has the talent to shine on the international stage and his strike against Macedonia proved vital.

He added to his goal tally against Liechtenstein and Denmark and his pace, power and natural talent make him the ideal partner for Owen.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.