In news that will invite mixed reactions from the British press and long-suffering supporters of the England national team, Wayne Rooney has announced that he will bring down the curtain on his worldwide career after the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation.
Advertisement
He would, the England captain announced, be retiring from global football after the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation – and he wanted to end his club career at Manchester United. Rooney said: ‘Russia will be my last opportunity to do anything with England.
“Wayne’s position has changed at Manchester United”, Allardyce said, “and that’s the sort of position I’d be looking for him to be playing in”. I have scored 53 goals in 115 England appearances and my mind is made up.
The 30-year-old said: ‘I will have a year left at United then (in 2018, when he intends to retire from worldwide football). “My mind is made up”, the Manchester United player explained during a press conference, according to the BBC.
Sam Allardyce may have kept Wayne Rooney waiting but he insists it was an “easy decision” to keep him on as England captain. The camp has been good, we have only had one session, but we are all excited about what ideas he can bring to us’. It is up to Sam Allardyce again over the next two years, but if selected, I will have enjoyed it.
But Allardyce said Rooney had been “an excellent captain for England” and as the most senior squad member was the “right choice to lead the team”.
“He goes forward, creates a career for himself and finally ends up in the Premier League and with us in this squad”.
“I feel like everything that has happened has shaped me to be the player I am and the person I am today”. As qualifying for the finals gets underway this week both captain and coach will be under intense scrutiny against a side that has lost just five matches since January 2014 and beat Spain in qualifying for Euro 2016.
And he said: “To pick someone like me from my background, it is a risk but the gaffer has shown belief in me and now I have got to show it to the world”.
“We have to put Euro 2016 behind us”, he said.
Rooney became England’s all-time top scorer when he converted a penalty against Switzerland last September, and his goal in the loss to Iceland was his 53rd at worldwide level. However, when it matters most, they have not won a tournament knockout game since the 2006 World Cup.
Under new United boss Jose Mourinho this season, he has played behind the striker – which is where Allardyce has told the media he would play for England.
England captain Wayne Rooney plans to quit global football in 2018.
Advertisement
Now we’ll see if Rooney gets to make it through the 2018 World Cup. “We’ve moved into a 60,000-seater stadium and I’m absolutely buzzing”, he says.
