Wayne Rooney: The Moments That Made Them 

4 Mar 2026 · 28 min · 7 chapters

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The Rest Is Football: Episode Summary

Episode Title

Wayne Rooney: The Moments That Made Them

Hosts

  • Gary Lineker
  • Alan Shearer
  • Micah Richards

Episode Overview In this episode, the hosts delve into the career of Wayne Rooney, one of football's most celebrated talents. They explore his evolution from a teenage prodigy at Everton to Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer and England’s top scorer. The discussion includes key moments that defined his career, his versatility as a player, and how he ranks among England's greatest footballers.

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Key Topics Discussed

Wayne Rooney's Early Career

  • Breakthrough at Everton: Rooney's first goal, a memorable strike against Arsenal at just 16 years old, marked the beginning of his illustrious career.
  • Early Thoughts: Rooney initially perceived his older teammates at Everton as 'crap', indicating his confidence and talent at a young age.

Versatility and Skill Set

  • Complete Player: The hosts emphasized Rooney's ability beyond just scoring goals. He was noted for his creativity, passing, tackling, and physical strength.
  • Comparisons to Other Players: Discussion about how Rooney stacks up against football legends from different eras, including Bobby Charlton and Gaza.

Memorable Moments

  • Iconic Goals: The episode highlights several pivotal goals in Rooney's career:
  • The stunning volley against Manchester City.
  • His record-breaking free kick against Stoke City.
  • An unforgettable long-range shot that showcased his striking technique.

Temperament and Work Ethic

  • Passion and Honesty: Rooney's competitive nature, as well as his willingness to track back and defend, were discussed as both assets and potential hindrances to his offensive game.
  • Maverick Nature: The hosts touched on Rooney's fiery temperament, suggesting it was part of his personality, fueling his drive and performance.

Legacy

  • Ranking Among England's Greats: The conversation included a debate on Rooney's place in the pantheon of English footballers, with mentions of Harry Kane, Steven Gerrard, and Ashley Cole.
  • Underrated Longevity: The hosts pondered if Rooney's physical condition could have prolonged his career, suggesting he could have been on par with contemporaries like Cristiano Ronaldo had he managed his fitness better.

Personal Anecdotes

  • Behind-the-Scenes Stories: The episode was peppered with personal stories about their experiences with Rooney, providing insight into his character off the pitch.

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Key Takeaways

  • Wayne Rooney is positioned as one of the greatest talents in Premier League and England history due to his unique skill set and significant achievements.
  • His versatility as a player made him a critical asset for club and country, showcasing a balance of offense and defense.
  • The hosts agree that discussions of football greatness are complex and often depend on era and personal bias, yet Rooney’s impact is universally acknowledged.
  • Personal stories shared by the hosts add depth to Rooney's character, highlighting his friendliness and humor.

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Conclusion This episode serves as a heartfelt tribute to Wayne Rooney, reflecting on the moments that defined his career and his lasting legacy in football. The chemistry between the hosts adds to the enjoyment of the discussion, making it a must-listen for football fans.

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Additional Resources

  • Podcast Website: [The Rest Is Football](https://therestisfootball.com)
  • Fantasy Football Club: Join The Players Lounge to compete with the hosts for prizes and exclusive tips.

Note: For terms and conditions related to Fuse Energy and special referrals, visit [Fuse Energy](https://www.fuseenergy.com/football).

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Wayne Rooney's Early Impact

1:40 to 2:55

Discussion about Rooney’s talent and career beginnings, including his famous goal.

“but off the field come on let's let's stop all the nonsense was he better than you or not?”

Comparing Eras of Football

2:55 to 5:03

Exploration of how football has changed over the years with comparisons to past legends.

“We were just having a little chat, weren't we, before about the warm-up now.”

Iconic Moments of Wayne Rooney

5:03 to 8:45

Deep dive into key moments from Rooney’s career and discussion on his temperament.

“Basically, Rooney owes his entire career.”

Rooney's Personality and Life Off the Pitch

10:46 to 14:01

A look at Rooney’s character, his stories, and experiences outside of football.

“England shirt signed by the three of us at The Rest is Football.”

Wayne Rooney's Hilarious Hair Dye Incident

14:01 to 17:40

Learn about a funny incident involving Wayne Rooney's hair dye before a show.

“And the night went on a little bit and Wazza was with us all day and the filming at night.”

Analyzing Iconic Rooney Moments

19:50 to 27:59

Dive into memorable moments from Wayne Rooney's career, including goals and achievements.

“Shall we talk about some of your thought-and-ability?”

Reflecting on Great Moments

28:01 to 28:16

Discussion about significant moments in football.

“the moments that make goodbye from me goodbye from me goodbye from me Big game, big meeting, big crowd.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

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1:08Alan Shearer:Hello and welcome to The Rest is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker, on this episode of the Premier League Greats, the moments that made them. We're focusing on absolutely one of the greats, someone that you may have played against. You've definitely played against. Micah, we know you played against him and got... fairly close to on occasions it is the legendary Wayne Rooney who we've also all worked with not on the field but off the field

1:40Wayne Rooney:come on let's let's stop all the nonsense was he better than you or not? at what? at scoring goals no

1:47Gary Lineker:no no he was better than me at everything else okay natural talent was like ridiculous when we saw him come in and score that goal at Everton Arsenal wasn't it that was that was the start of something incredibly special.

2:03Alan Shearer:Funnily enough, that will be one of the moments. We'll come to that shortly. But I think you made the point there very well that it was more than just a goal scorer, wasn't it? That's the thing about Wayne. He could do all of it, couldn't he? He was creative. He could pass. He could tackle. He was hard, though. He was strong.

2:24Gary Lineker:He was brilliant at everything, actually. I mean, I know I joked about being a better goal scorer, but his goal scorer, all types of goals, all of them, tap-ins, 30-yarders, headers. You said strong as they come. The best for me.

2:40Wayne Rooney:I think he could be the best player England have ever produced.

2:44Alan Shearer:I think he's definitely got to be in that argument. Let's have that argument right now. Okay, but it's different eras. Yeah, of course. And it's really difficult talking about different eras because things change a lot. We were just having a little chat, weren't we, before about the warm-up now. What is it, the pre-activation? Yes. And that's the warm-up before the warm-up. It's in the gym where you get your stretches, your groin. But even the way – and that would have changed even since Wayne played probably. He would probably have been through some of that change. But you've got these beautiful gyms, ice baths, massive areas.

3:19Alan Shearer:We're in a loft here. It's fairly big actually. it's about probably three times as big as a dressing room in our day. You'd squeeze in there and you go play on boggy pitches and stuff. So different players from different generations. I would definitely throw in Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Greaves, Tom Finney, people like that you'd have to recognize. But it's really hard unless you've seen them play a lot to make that judgment. But Gazza, in terms of ability, yes. But in terms of career, not quite. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Gazza has a self-destruct button. Although, you could say Wayne Rooney's got a little bit of Gazza in him, hasn't he?

3:58Alan Shearer:Bit of a maverick.

3:59Wayne Rooney:But he'd have to be up there, wouldn't he? Well, yeah, he scored on my debut, and I thought I'd get some footage ready, just in case. This is not one of the moments that made it. No, it's not, but I just want to do it, because... Sorry, Rooney scored on your debut. No, hold on. Yeah, he scored, yes, Rooney scored on my debut for England. All right, okay. I was 18. I was fast, I was strong. Let me get it here for you. What year was this? This would have been 2006. Analysis. Look at the run here to open up the gap for Joe Cole. I didn't get the assist on this one. All you did was make a run to open up space for Joe Cole.

4:36Wayne Rooney:Yes, basically.

4:37Gary Lineker:He's been searching for that for three hours on the train here. It's in Lincoln. Hang on a minute.

4:42Wayne Rooney:How important the space is. You know, when we talk about space, it's a pocket of space overlapping, creating... Was it Wembley? Was it Wembley? No, this was away. I never debut away. Okay. We've got a draw there. I was up against Robben.

4:57Alan Shearer:Absolutely smashed into pieces. On this week's episode of Premier League, greats the moments are made, then we've got one.

5:07Alan Shearer:Basically, Rooney owes his entire career. Basically, yeah. If he wanted for that space, he would have scored. My point entirely. Let's start with the first moment, which has to be one thing. You've already mentioned it right at the top. that remarkable goal when he announced himself.

5:29Micah Richards:Wayne Rooney. Oh, he went for it. Oh, his first goal in the Premiership.

5:37Micah Richards:What a special goal.

5:39Gary Lineker:But the touch and, I mean, everything. A 16-year-old to do that against Arsenal and all those great players that Arsenal had. I mean, the touch and then the move and then the finish is just, look at that. Against Seaman as well. Yeah. It's just like, wow. Just brilliant. Look at the size of him. I know, yeah. You know? He was a man already then, wasn't he?

6:02Wayne Rooney:You can tell. Technically and physically, he was just... Because there's always that thing, you know, big hitters. I mentioned before, there was James Milner, Aaron Lennon at that time, Jermaine Pennant a little bit before, Big Meeks, you know? And then there was Rooney. But he was the one who everyone talked about coming through the youth. He was going to be the best thing. And he lived up to it. That's really hard to do.

6:27Gary Lineker:I think you're right because you always hear the hype about these 14, 15, 16, 17-year-old youngsters who are coming through the academy and they've been brilliant and they've been great in the reserves or youth team or whatever it may be. And then very rarely do you still talk about them being amazing 10 years later. Very rarely. Very rarely. But on this occasion with him, it's like, oh my, what a player.

6:55Alan Shearer:He obviously knew he was pretty good. There's a fantastic quote from Wayne. I've got it here. And he was talking about his early training sessions with these Everton teammates. You know, when he went up from being a boys' teams or reserves team, training with the first team lads, grown men. And he said, I remember thinking, these are crap. I thought the step up would be harder. Crap. He actually said crap, did he? Crap, that was the word. So basically, I suppose what he's sort of saying is that when he stepped up into men's football, he thought they'd be way better than they actually are.

7:33Gary Lineker:He was lacking confidence at 16 then as well.

7:37Alan Shearer:It showed him that goal a little bit, that confidence. It's just terrific. There was the commentary as well, wasn't there? Remember the name? Who was the commentator for that? It was Clive Tilsley. Was it Clive Tilsley? I'm pretty sure it was Clive Tilsley. I think we remembered it.

7:53Gary Lineker:I think that goal at 16 sort of summed him up at 30 as well. Even like just the, I don't know, the arrogance, obviously the ability, the strength, and the ability to just do what he wanted to do. And I think that at 16 was amazing. And he carried that on all his career.

8:17Alan Shearer:You played against him, Alan, and one of the moments is that extraordinary goal where he sort of loses his rag with the referee. Referee, yeah. And you said you were right behind this. I was about 15 yards behind it. And then he did that.

8:32Gary Lineker:My initial was like, what on earth is the goalkeeper even diving for that for? Because it was one of those where I just know what's happening here. And he just let rip.

8:45Micah Richards:Ready! Well, if that's what he does when he's injured, watch out when he's 100%. It's an astonishing moment. A true footballing genius.

8:58Wayne Rooney:Apparently he was injured as well.

8:59Gary Lineker:He says he was about to come off. Fergie was about to take him off.

9:04Alan Shearer:And not only that, he was having a rant at the referee just before it happened. And it's brilliant. He's almost done that out of anger.

9:10Wayne Rooney:Can we go back just a little bit on that, please? I just want to see it one more time. So can we all agree this is a volley? Yes. Finally, it didn't bounce. So it's a volley? Well, of course it's a volley. Of course it's a volley. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It didn't bounce. That's the whole point. Headers and volleys. He volleyed it. It didn't bounce. That is what you call a volley. And when it bounces? It's a half volley.

9:34Alan Shearer:On the way up. Otherwise, it's just a shot.

9:39Gary Lineker:I think we're in agreement that's a volley. Yes, finally.

9:42Alan Shearer:We finally agree on what's the volley. I think you're getting confused. Speaking of which, Fuse.

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Read the full transcript

10:42Alan Shearer:Sign up to Fuse Energy at FuseEnergy.com slash football. Use the referral code FOOTBALL and you could also win a 1990 England shirt signed by the three of us at The Rest is Football. Back to Wayne Rooney. I mean, how about his temperament? Obviously had his moments.

11:05Alan Shearer:There he got the red card. I don't think he was a particularly, you know, tough individual. I mean, he was tough, but he wasn't, you know, he wasn't a nasty player. He wasn't any like, he wasn't horrible. Just passionate, wasn't he? Just passionate. I loved it. Me too. Do you think the fact, I mean, he obviously had an incredibly competitive side to him and he did track back and we saw the goal where you didn't out there. But he loved to do that sort of thing. I always wonder whether if he hadn't have done that kind of running backwards all the time, whether he'd have been even better at the other end.

11:43Alan Shearer:Agreed. It was so honest, so honest in the way he would track back and chase people that sometimes I think, I mean, I remember going to Barcelona. I played for Barcelona. And I started playing there. You know, in those days it was 4-4 too generally in most places. and then the ball would go out to the fullbacks and it was the job of one of the striker on that side to chase the fullback down, wasn't it? And try and get in a tackle. And I was doing that the first two or three games doing that. And the players pulled me aside and said, what are you doing? I said, well, I'm just doing my job, defensive job.

12:15Alan Shearer:And they went, oh, you've been signed to stay in the middle and score goals. And I went, oh, yeah. You look to your ears. I mean, he epitomised that effort in chasing fullbacks down and chasing midfield players down as well. I just wonder whether sometimes he reserved a little bit more energy. I mean, it's hard to say he could have been much better because he's one of the greats.

12:37Gary Lineker:I just loved his attitude. I think even the nasty side to him, which I think that was just his personality. I loved that he hated being beaten or hated losing a tackle or hated anyone getting the better of him. And that's probably helped him have the career that he did. but I think he was one of these that wherever he would have played he would have been the best in that position

13:01Wayne Rooney:I agree with you I think it hindered him a little bit but I think he's one of those players who had to be involved in the play and if he was not involved he got frustrated that's why he would run back that's why he would tackle that's why he got so many assists he's just a complete player I just wish he could have went on a little bit longer 9 or a 10?

13:18Alan Shearer:False 9 yeah you can do both roles you can do away with either a 9 or a 10 and just play him couldn't you? But technically, he was so good.

13:27Wayne Rooney:People talk about power, but he was just, he had everything. He was just...

13:32Gary Lineker:He was a street kid, wasn't he? He was a kid you could tell. He just naturally played football in the street as a kid and then took that attitude and that belief onto the football pitch. Almost in a South American way.

13:45Alan Shearer:Yeah. That sort of technique. Yeah, yeah.

13:50Wayne Rooney:Toughness. He's so humble with it, though. you know we shared time in Berlin didn't we with him outside of football

13:57Alan Shearer:I mean outside of football what I mean he is genuinely a lovely guy he's just and a brilliant storyteller he's got banter hasn't he he's got so many stories some of them are unbelievably funny but he's great company what about

14:15Wayne Rooney:when he died he's there we can say that can't we we can talk about that because he went on BBC the next fucking day with fucking what ginger ale or whatever it was

14:27Alan Shearer:I think we can tell some of the stuff Harry's got him ready because he was involved in the tale

14:35Wayne Rooney:Harry do you want to come and tell it no

14:39Alan Shearer:stay quiet Harry stay quiet right so we had a lunch didn't we and it went on and we were at the cell house in Berlin all day and we had a few drinks in the end we went back to watch the football where we were filming in the apartment there. And the night went on a little bit and Wazza was with us all day and the filming at night. And then we went back, didn't we, and had a few more drinks and watched the football. Paul Stretford was with him and they were going to leave, but I did one or two things to check with the scripts or something for the next day. And Wayne left with Paul Stretford and I left about 10 minutes later.

15:20Alan Shearer:So I walk into our hotel and there's a big armchair sat there and Wayne's in it, just sat there like this. And I went, are you all right, Wayne? He went, yeah. He went, do you think Harry had fancy going out? I went, oh, 100%. And then they went out. I think they had a big night.

15:36Gary Lineker:We're going to have to get a sign off for this.

15:40Alan Shearer:And then Harry calls me, he says, oh, Wayne needs to talk to you. He's got a problem. I went, oh, no, what is it?

15:49So he said, well, he's had a shower.

15:53Alan Shearer:I said, well, what's wrong with that? He's dyed his beard and his hair. And I said, what do you mean he's dyed it? Then Wayne calls me and gets into it. He said, oh, he said, what? He said, oh, that nightmare and all this. He said, what makes you die? He said, I had this stuff. I said, I've got it in Dubai. He said, I couldn't read the instructions because they're all in Arabic. And it was really, really dark and a big change. I mean, it's very funny. And then all day, he said, oh, and we were doing a program that night and it was Italy against someone. I can't remember who it was. And he came in and said, well, what should I do?

16:39Should we, like, I went, well, let's work it out and see if makeup can do.

16:43Alan Shearer:so makeup so they started to dye you know i started putting whatever to cover the colors on it all over his beard and his hair i think it was mainly his beard and then they did a really good job but we sat and then we sat there before the show about 20 minutes before the show he's and he's going do you think we should say something i said well there is a way i can do it at the top and we'll have a bit of fun at it or we can just ignore it but i and he said well what's that i I said, well, I said, you know, Italy have had a bad start, but they've changed their colour for this particular match. Has someone on our panel or something like that?

17:19Alan Shearer:We could do something like that. And he went, oh, yeah, maybe do that. I said, or we can ignore it, monitor social media, see if there's a bit of a maelstrom, and if there is, we'll deal with it at half time. So in the end, we decided to do that, and no one really noticed. No, the makeup did a great job. But yeah, he's great company.

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19:50Alan Shearer:Shall we talk about some of your thought-and-ability? Micah, this is your moment. This is yum, you know what's coming here. The overhead kick.

20:00Micah Richards:Nani. Rooney! Oh, wonderful! What a goal! And what a time! And what a place! What a playoff!

20:13Alan Shearer:No, no, no, no. Your positioning is so bad. No, no, no, this is, I knew you were going to say that nonsense. It's so bad.

20:18Wayne Rooney:Go back, I'm going back. I'm sick to death of Vincent Kompany, getting all the fucking accolades. It's about to get fucked up.

20:26Gary Lineker:Right.

20:27Wayne Rooney:Play it back, please, slowly.

20:29Gary Lineker:You're far too deep anyway, as it is now. No, no, no, no, no. You're five yards behind everyone.

20:33Alan Shearer:Vincent Kompany is with Wayne Rooney. Why are you playing everyone on side there?

20:39Gary Lineker:Look where your position is now. You're far too back. Yeah, I know. Aren't you? I didn't realise that.

20:46Micah Richards:Why are you going on a bit? Why are you? He's still back five seconds! Didn't he used to go back again?

20:58Gary Lineker:I never used to play a full-back, but I think you should be up on the line. So, yeah, Alan, you make a good point. You're too deep, aren't you? Too deep, aren't I?

21:05Alan Shearer:Yeah. However... I don't think it would have saved you, though, because Wayne Rooney's not offside.

21:09Gary Lineker:But I think not only are you too deep, you should be nearer to Vincent.

21:13Wayne Rooney:No, no, no, no, no, yes, I agree with that, but look at Vincent Company's position. He's too... He's only looking one way. He's supposed to be there and there. We talk about that, body positions, don't we? Yeah, tied on. So we run it on slowly. I'm going to take the pause again, H, in a minute. Puff! Look! He can see his name and his number. What do we say about that? Don't do that. So my position here, I'm taking, I think it's Giggs coming in here. I've got him. I can see the ball. And I can see the man.

21:45Gary Lineker:Perfect position. Should you not be a couple of yards further to Vincent? Yes, I could. Really? I should be here. I think so. I really, I should be here. Then you can go and attack it because you nearly get there anyway.

21:56Wayne Rooney:But now you need to focus on the slip. Watch the slip from Vince and company. Look, he slipped. He slipped. No one has mentioned the slip. If he doesn't slip, he just heads it away.

22:09Alan Shearer:Micah, can I just say one thing? As when we do eventually just play this forward, there's a brilliant little motion that I only just spotted from you where Wayne goes up to head it and you go, I know, yeah. Your little head goes on.

22:21Wayne Rooney:I think I've got it. I think I've got it.

22:24Micah Richards:I think I've got it.

22:25Alan Shearer:What stage did you actually start to see the ball? Because I know that you had eyesight problems. At this, you know what? I couldn't actually see the ball.

22:34Wayne Rooney:That's the problem. That is a very big problem, it is. I couldn't actually see the ball until Rooney's foot was up here. Yeah. So then he sees me, I'm closing my eyes thinking, okay, I've got a chance here. but that is the major problem Vincent Kompany you can play it on now H and then you'll see the close up on the third angle here what a finish by the way it's about it's just remarkable how he's managed to do this I think you see it on this angle here that's where I've seen the ball there that's the angle and I think I've got it and look at his leg look at where his leg is and Joe Hart's position has got to be better than that.

23:20Wayne Rooney:He's a puddle now giving it all this. Talk about body position. Why didn't you adapt Joe? You didn't adapt your body position.

23:29Gary Lineker:Roll it off. Oh, look at that. No one's stopping that. Look at it. Oh.

23:39Alan Shearer:Devastating. Oh, it's a brilliant goal. Absolutely. One of the most iconic moments in Premier League history. Another one, of course, was his record-breaking free kick at Stoke. And it was to break, of course, the great, great Sir Bobby Charlton's record.

23:55Micah Richards:It's Rooney. Oh, my word! History! White Rooney does it in style.

24:04Gary Lineker:But that's what he could do. Just all types of goals. Overhead kicks. We've seen that. We've seen the brilliant one when he's 16. Free kicks. whatever goal you want that he could come up with a piece of magic top

24:17Alan Shearer:much like Bobby Charlton and Bobby Charlton was a different sort of player wasn't as dynamic as probably Wayne but what the sweetest strike of the football just like Wayne Rooney in that sense amazing player do you think seems a bit ridiculous slightly underrated

24:35Wayne Rooney:yeah yeah

24:36Alan Shearer:just kind of longevity

24:38Wayne Rooney:I think if he without being disrespectful you know if he would have looked after himself like Ronaldo I think he could have got more years out of him and I think because Do you not think

24:48Alan Shearer:that's part of

24:49Wayne Rooney:his make-up there? Yeah a little bit but I think as well the United team changed didn't it and it didn't really have the same players around him which would have been very frustrating that's why he was running about and trying to get on the ball where he shouldn't really be but it's just if he would have gone a couple more years I think he would have been right up there with the Ronaldo's of the world. That's how much ability I think he has.

25:15Alan Shearer:He's in that tier. It's just below him. But I think there's a real argument that he could be one of England's greatest. Well, he's definitely one of England's greatest. He's the greatest. Who else would you put in that category? Bobby Chalk, obviously. I would say Harry Kane. I mean, how many goals has he scored? You'd have to mention Harry Kane, wouldn't you? Yeah. Thinking about it. Yeah.

25:38Wayne Rooney:Yeah. Yeah. It's just Harry Kane was at Spurs who weren't really winning. Well, didn't win anything, did they? No. He's won a bit of... I buy it, yeah. But that's why he's so... But for England, he's been phenomenal, hasn't he?

25:51Alan Shearer:Yeah, absolutely incredible.

25:53Wayne Rooney:Ashley Cole?

25:54Alan Shearer:100 caps.

25:55Wayne Rooney:Yeah. Stephen Gerrard? Gerrard. All that performs...

25:58Alan Shearer:It didn't quite happen. Probably Gerrard and Lampard. I mean, they still had incredibly brilliant international careers, but didn't probably reach the heights

26:06Gary Lineker:they would have wished. Agreed. I just think they're not winning anything with England. Yeah.

26:14Wayne Rooney:But everyone else had good teams as well. We always say that's a golden generation but look at Spain's team, look at France's team, you know?

26:22Alan Shearer:Right, our final moment, a hat-trick goal and it was this one from his own half, wasn't it? I mean, wow. That for me is, I think that's the best one I've seen from inside, you know, in terms of the Premier League because it's...

26:37Gary Lineker:Look at the technique on this.

26:38Alan Shearer:And to drill it, like so low.

26:41Wayne Rooney:Look who's in net. It's Chouart again positioning. He's supposed to be your mate.

26:49Micah Richards:He's looking at him running back. He's also the only player I think to have scored twice

26:56Alan Shearer:from inside his own half.

26:57Gary Lineker:The referee did well getting out of the way this one, you know. But what a strike with the front of the boot.

27:03Alan Shearer:That technique is clean, isn't it? That's a pure strike, isn't it? Pure. Yeah. The ref deserves an assist.

27:11Gary Lineker:I think there's so many players would have actually taken a touch there. Oh, nearly every player. Just to say in the button.

27:20Alan Shearer:Also to have the realisation that I need to hit this first time because this is the situation and also not float, but to drill it. Yeah. It was four. What a pleasure. Before we finish this particular episode, working with Wayne. I love him. He's settling in. He's having a go. Yeah. Punditry now. It didn't quite work for him in management.

27:40Gary Lineker:you can definitely tell a worker how much he loves football yeah I mean I know it's easy to say well he played it he should love it but not everyone does

27:47Wayne Rooney:you can't pronounce uh Stroupberg no

27:51Alan Shearer:what did he say Stalk Stalk anyway three Stroups and you're out so that's it for this episode of Premier League Greats the moments that make goodbye from me goodbye from me goodbye from me

28:15Micah Richards:Big game, big meeting, big crowd. However you're gathering, Sweetgreen Catering brings the bowl everyone wants. Introducing the buffet-style Sweetgreen Bar. Perfect for sharing, customizing, and keeping everyone happy. Because when the food's this good, people show up. Learn more at sweetgreen.com slash catering.

From the publisher

Was Wayne Rooney the greatest teenage talent the Premier League has ever seen? Did his honesty and selfless style limit his own numbers? And where does he truly rank among England’s all-time greats?

Gary, Alan and Micah unpack the remarkable journey of Wayne Rooney, from that unforgettable breakthrough at Everton to rewriting the record books at Manchester United and becoming the all-time leading scorer for England.

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