To escape his early fame, Wayne Rooney frequently drank alcohol. Excessively.
In January 2003, Wayne Rooney signed his very first professional contract with Everton, becoming one of the highest paid young footballers in the world. Faced with fame and intense pressure early on, the English striker revealed that “ alcohol served (him) as a release ” at that time.
“ I would go home, spend a few days at home and not go out. I drank almost until I passed out. I didn’t want to be among the others because sometimes you feel embarrassed. Sometimes you feel like you’ve disappointed people and ultimately I didn’t know how to deal with the situation.”confided the former Manchester United player during a podcast launched by Rob Burrow, ex-rugby league player suffering from Charcot’s disease.
Former England captain Wayne Rooney has described his abuse of alcohol early in his football career as a “release”.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 7, 2023
For several years, Rooney did not dare talk about his addiction. “ When you don’t accept help and advice from others, you can find yourself at rock bottom, and that’s what happened to me for a few years. Fortunately, today I am no longer afraid to talk to people about my problems“, concludes the man who is now coach of Birmingham in the second division.
