The all-time leading scorer for Manchester United and the English national team is coming to play in the nation’s capital. D.C. United will only be Wayne Rooney’s third club in his 16-year career—a surprisingly non-nomadic professional journey given the forward’s dominance in the sport. In those 16 years, Rooney has become one of the most prolific and decorated goalscorers in the world, bringing new levels of success to each club he’s touched. Now, Rooney is set to begin his next chapter with the Black-and-Red, and with a player of such rich history meeting an MLS club of such rich history, United are eager to usher in a bright future for Audi Field and re-establish a winning culture in D.C.
Rooney’s arrival to Major League Soccer marks his first non-Premier League stint in his storied career. And while the Englishman’s presence in the league adds to the list of notable international signings of players with extensive experience in Europe’s top flights, Rooney’s journey to MLS may be one of the most intriguing given his loyalty toward and time spent with just two clubs. With two brief stints at the beginning and end of his Premier League career with Everton, Rooney is most known for his 13 seasons at Manchester United and the unprecedented levels of success he helped sustain at the club.
The 32-year old began his professional career with his boyhood club Everton at the age of 16 in 2002, playing two seasons before moving on to Manchester United in 2004. The Manchester club had dominated the Premier League in the 1990s and needed a player like Rooney to continue their run in the 2000s as the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea became more competitive. It was in this period that a young but poised striker in Rooney built a legacy for himself as Manchester United ascended again, winning five league titles and a Champions League final under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Rooney’s tenure with one club is an impressive feat in a European transfer market that sees top players move from team to team each year, with many stars moving on after only a few seasons. The forward’s 13 consecutive seasons in Manchester allowed Rooney to usher in a new era of success for the Red Devils, showcasing his world-class talent, his leadership, and his ability to serve as the cornerstone for the club’s next chapter.
Rooney won 16 trophies and scored 253 goals in all competitions during his time with Manchester United. His 208 Premier League goals make him the second-leading scorer all-time, and his 103 assists rank him third in the league’s history. With technical creativity and accurate finishing, Rooney can score both in and outside the penalty area, with his knack for finding the back of the net remaining his best skill throughout the years. Add in his strong work rate and physicality against opponents, and it’s clear why Rooney is widely regarded as one of the top strikers of his generation, winning England’s Player of the Year Award four times.
While other European legends have also made moves to MLS, no other Premier League player has come stateside via the same kind of professional journey Rooney has led. For example, the Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimović came to MLS in March, and while the Swedish striker has found success wherever he’s gone in his 19-year career, he has played with nine different clubs, a stark contrast to the empire Rooney helped build in Manchester. Ibra’s longest stint came with French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain in a four-season stretch.
Similarly, striker David Villa has found success as New York City FC’s captain for four seasons, but played for seven different clubs in his 18-year career, with his longest being five seasons at Valencia. Rooney will by no means be the first Premier League legend in MLS, but he enters the league with a unique professional history of only two clubs, but major trophy hauls and legacies built with each.
Now, Rooney takes on a fresh challenge of contributing to the new chapter for United, this time in the District. The legend’s arrival comes at a pivotal time of transition in the Black-and-Red’s history, as Audi Field’s opening will dawn another era of soccer in the nation’s capital. While Rooney will be just one part of a larger equation, the striker’s storied career and world-class skill set will help fuel the Black-and-Red’s turning of the page, beginning July 14. As United welcome the District to their new home, all focus is on returning to the club’s championship roots—the same roots Rooney helped cultivate and grow during his Premier League years.
