‘My mind is made up.
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“I started playing football professionally when I was 16, worldwide football when I was 17”.
Rooney received widespread derision from England supporters in the wake of England’s abject failure at Euro 2016, with many lambasting the striker for his muted performance in the defeat to Iceland.
England skipper Wayne Rooney on 30 August announced that he will retire from worldwide football after the 2018 World Cup scheduled to be held in Russian Federation.
“Come Russia I feel that will be the time for me to say goodbye to global football, my mind is made up”, said Rooney, adding: “I will just try to enjoy myself over the next two years”.
Already England’s record goalscorer, he will break David Beckham’s 115-cap record for an England outfield player when Sam Allardyce – Rooney’s fifth global boss – takes charge for the first time on Sunday in Slovakia and the journey to Moscow begins.
Under new United boss Jose Mourinho this season, he has played behind the striker – which is where Allardyce has told the media Rooney will play for England.
But in 6 major tournament appearances with England, he has never gone further than the quarterfinals.
But Allardyce will ultimately be judged by England’s performance in Russian Federation in two years’ time.
“In March, they said they wanted me to come and play for them but I said I feel like I could possibly get into the England set-up”.
“I did an interview at the end of the game and I came in and the physio went over to me and said “you’ve been called up.’ I said ‘Ha, funny”, he recalled.
However, speaking yesterday, Allardyce said: “Wayne’s position’s changed at Manchester United and that’s the sort of position I’d be looking to play him”.
“I made my mind up before the Euros, whether we did well or didn’t do well, that I would continue after the tournament”.
The journey starts with England’s opening qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup, against Slovakia on Sunday.
“Every time I have played for England I keep saying I’m proud to do so, it is a huge honour for me so to do it more than any outfield player will be great – but it isn’t about playing, it is about trying to win and that is what I have been trying to do”. This news story is related to Print/146546-Rooney-to-quit-England-after-2018-World-Cup/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne.
Rooney’s decision is likely to prove divisive, with some observers and a section of England’s fan base of the opinion that his retirement might have better served the side coming after the European Championship in France.
‘When Sam got the job I made that clear to him and here we are.
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He explained: “It’s only a day we’ve been together but you can see [Sam’s] a relaxed guy”. This is the move that he wants and I wish him well and I am sure that it can benefit England.
