On this day in 2004, an 18-year-old Wayne Rooney, relatively unknown outside of the Premier League, burst onto the Champions League scene with arguably the best debut Old Trafford has ever seen.
Signed from Everton in the summer of ’04, Rooney was named in Sir Alex Ferguson’s starting eleven to face Turkish giants Fenerbahce – and what a decision that was.
The then young striker scored a hat-trick (including a goal directly from a free-kick) and picked up an assist on his first game for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Since then, he has gone on to score World Cup and European Championship goals for England, a goal in a Champions League final for Manchester United and is now the captain of both sides, wearing the number 10 shirt proudly for club and country.
Now 29, the little boy from Croxeth has matured; helped in part by the mass of trophies he has won – they are as follows, including a small selection of his personal accolades:
Premier League: 5League Cup: 2Community Shield: 3Champions League: 1Club World Cup: 1FIFPro World Young Player of the Year: 1 (04-05)Premier League Player of the Season: 1 (09-10)Premier League 20 Seasons Award – Best Goal: vs Man City, 2011.
Here’s a slideshow illustrating Wayne’s 11 years as a pivotal player for Manchester United – and let’s hope for many more!
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