Rooney's huge confession about United goals record

The legendary striker netted 253 goals as a Red and notched another 53 with the Three Lions during an illustrious career, which he discusses at length in the latest episode of UTD Podcast. 

Rooney admits he never enjoyed playing as a no.9 and identifies former team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy as somebody who should have broken Sir Bobby Charlton’s record at Old Trafford.

Wayne also expects current England captain Harry Kane to smash his international record, as you can read in this latest extract from an unmissable episode.

“I’ve never looked at myself, ever, as a natural goalscorer,” says Rooney. “Obviously I have scored a lot of goals in my career, but I would never say I was a Michael Owen, a Gary Lineker, or a Harry Kane type of player. I have enjoyed the game too much to be that. I have done it twice at Man United in two seasons, when I was the no.9, a solo no.9, and I scored a lot of goals. 

“But to be honest I remember coming off the pitch and thinking ‘I didn’t enjoy that, I didn’t enjoy the game’. I enjoyed scoring, obviously, and winning the game if we won, but I didn’t enjoy the game and I found it difficult to just wait up the pitch. 

“It is important to be patient and that, but I like to get involved a bit more and that has obviously allowed me over the last few years to drop back into midfield and be able to play there as well.”

Asked if he ever wonders what his goals tally might have become if he had played as a no.9, Rooney continues: “Yeah, I know what you’re saying, but I think I’ve had time and I’ve obviously had a long career to get the Man United record and the England record, and to become the most capped outfield player for England. 

“For instance, in two years’ time, Harry Kane will, barring injury, pass my England goals record because he is more of a natural goalscorer than I am. 

“Ruud van Nistelrooy, if he had more time here, he would have gone on to get the United record. Obviously it is great and I am really proud to have those records, but it is not something I look at it. It says ‘Man United’s greatest goalscorer’ but I wouldn’t say I am Man United’s greatest goalscorer.” 

On the subject of positions and where he liked to play, Rooney doesn’t hold back when revealing the area of the pitch he hated to play – recalling one match in particular as a tough shift! 

“When I was younger I think no.10 was my best position,” explains Wayne. “I could dip in and out of midfield, I could join in with the strikers, so that was the position I enjoyed most. 

“I hated playing wide right, I didn’t mind wide left. Wide right, it was just something I didn’t enjoy. It always felt like the pitch closes in on you. I remember playing Real Madrid away. I had Marcelo at left-back and Ronaldo at left-wing, and the manager was telling me to keep track of Marcelo when he goes forward and when you can double-up on Cristiano… I was thinking, ‘Jesus!’ 

“So there have been a few times when you play those roles on the night to get a result for the team, but I hated wide right.”

Wayne Rooney's UTD Podcast is available now.