Wayne Rooney has called time on his illustrious career.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has officially retired from his football playing career, ending a trophy-laden tenure in England.

Rooney joined Derby County as a player-coach in 2018 and recently took interim charge of the club following Phillip Cocu’s dismissal.

However, on Friday, Rooney made the call to officially walk away from his playing career as he penned a deal to become Derby’s permanent manager.

Derby went on an impressive run during his first nine games in charge which prompted the club to offer the United legend a two-and-a-half-year contract in his first managerial role.

Congratulations on a magnificent playing career, @WayneRooney 👏

All the best in management 👊 pic.twitter.com/SP1ORnzJxV

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 15, 2021

Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker will remain part of his coaching staff but the news means Rooney will not step onto the pitch in a competitive game again.

Rooney walks away from the game as both Manchester United and England’s record goal-scorer and will be remembered as one of the best players of his generation.

A captain.
A goalscorer.
A legend.

And now, 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿.

Happy retirement, @WayneRooney — thank you for the memories ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZGxe1xr3tR

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 15, 2021

The 35-year-old burst onto the scene as a mercurial 16-year-old for his boyhood club Everton before going on to score 313 goals at club level and 53 for the national side.

He won a total of 16 major honours with the Red Devils including five Premier League titles, three League Cups, one FA Cup, one Champions League and one FIFA Club World Cup over a distinguished career.

Rooney remains the only player to score over 200 goals and provide 100+ assists in the Premier League. The Everton youth product returned to Goodison Park after leaving United in 2017.

He then made the switch to D.C United in the USA’s Major league Soccer in 2018 before finally arriving back in England as a player-coach with Derby County.

Reflecting on his first foray into management, Rooney spoke to the official Derby County website.

Wayne Rooney will always be a Man Utd legend 🙌

But now it's time to create a new legacy at the Rams! 👊

He has three wins and four draws from his nine games in charge of Derby so far. pic.twitter.com/qK79feCkUv

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 15, 2021

“To be given the opportunity to follow the likes of Brian Clough, Jim Smith, Frank Lampard and Phillip Cocu is such an honour,” he said.

“And I can promise everyone involved in the club and all our fans, my staff and I will leave no stone unturned in achieving the potential I have witnessed over the last 12 months of this historic football club.”

Wayne Rooney’s Man Utd career by numbers:

👕 559 appearances
⚽️ 253 goals
🏆 16 trophies

What an unbelievable career. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/RNWSXQoZb1

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 15, 2021

 

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