Former England international and Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, has disclosed the harrowing experience of receiving death threats and witnessing abuse directed at his family. This occurred after his highly controversial transfer from his boyhood club, Everton, to Manchester United in 2004. The move sparked significant anger among some Toffees supporters. This led to direct attacks on his loved ones. Rooney recounted the severe backlash during a recent episode of BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show. “I got death threats,” Rooney stated. “My parents’ house was getting spray-painted and smashed up. My girlfriend at the time, now my wife, had her house getting spray-painted.”

Navigating Intense Rivalry and Personal Resilience

Rooney further detailed the immense emotional toll. He spoke about the fierce rivalry surrounding his departure from Merseyside to Old Trafford. “You have to be mentally strong,” he explained. “The people around you have to help.” He acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. “Leaving was hard because I went to Manchester United,” he said. “The Liverpool and Manchester rivalry was huge, which made it far more challenging.” Despite the intense hostility, Rooney maintained his focus. He remained committed to his ambitions. “I was always of a mindset of ‘I don’t care’,” the former player asserted. “I knew what I wanted. I also knew how to achieve it.” He continued, “I had to stay tough in my mind. These were people from my city, so it was tough. But I thought ‘I don’t care’. You have to be selfish and make these decisions.”

The Evolving Pressures on Young Footballers

Rooney also discussed the pressures faced by young footballers today. He highlighted his 16-year-old son, Kai, who plays for Manchester United’s youth setup. He observed that social media has drastically intensified these challenges. “Now the big difference is social media,” Rooney noted. “When I was young, I was in the local newspapers. Everyone in Liverpool really knew me then.” He contrasted his experience with Kai’s generation. “Now I have it with my boy… he’s on social media,” he explained. “He plays for United. He’s sponsored by Puma. Hundreds of thousands or millions of people watch them when they’re that young. I didn’t have that really.” Rooney stressed the critical need for a robust support system. This is essential for young talents navigating the football world. “Being a young player, especially going into the first team, you’re getting judged,” he emphasized. “Rightly or wrongly, you get judged. That’s where you need the people around you to keep you in a good place.” He added that families play a crucial role. They must help young players manage social media pressures. “We can all get carried away with social media,” he concluded. “It’s really important that your closest people have your best interests at heart. That’s the main thing.”