Wayne Rooney has said wife Coleen saved his life after the former Manchester United forward admitted to “massively struggling” with alcohol during his playing career.
Rooney, 39, ended his career as the all-time leader goalscorer for United and England — Harry Kane has since eclipsed Rooney’s international goal tally — before going into management with Derby County, DC United, Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle.
But despite his record-breaking career, which saw him win the Champions League with United in 2008 as well as five Premier League titles at Old Trafford, Rooney has now revealed that he “went too far” with alcohol and would be “dead” without the support of Coleen, who he married in 2008.
“I wanted to go out and enjoy my time with my friends and having a night out,” Rooney told former United team mate Rio Ferdinand on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
“It got to a point where I went too far, of course it did.
“That was a moment in my life where I was struggling massively with alcohol. Massively struggling and I didn’t think I could turn to anyone.
“I didn’t really want to because I didn’t want to put that burden on anyone.”
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Rooney was dropped by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for breaking a curfew and spending the night in a cocktail bar in Southport in December 2011 and he “unreservedly apologised” to England manager Gareth Southgate in November 2016 after the publication of what he admitted were “inappropriate” images of himself at a wedding party at the team hotel during an international break.
Rooney told Ferdinand that he also reported for club training after drinking for “two days straight.”
“I remember going into training and putting eyes drops in, chewing gum,” Rooney said.
“I just drank for two days straight, come [into] training and at the weekend I’d scored two goals and then I’d go back and go and drink for two days straight again.”
When Ferdinand asked Rooney who helped him emerge from his difficult period, the former United and England captain paid tribute to his wife.
“Coleen is massive,” he said.
“It’s bad because we’re two kids from Croxteth [Liverpool] and then we grew up together and obviously we started dating and we got married and have kids.
“But when I was 17 she could see, she knew my mind and she knew I was a bit out there.
“You know, I loved my football, obsessed with football but also I loved a night out or whatever going out.
“She’s seen it very early on and she’s controlled that. Well, not controlled but helped me control that massively.
“And at times you’re like ‘what are you doing?’ Why do you keep saying ‘don’t do this or don’t do that?’ How she’s managed me because I needed managing.
“I honestly believe if she [Coleen] weren’t there I’d be dead.
“I believe that. And what she’s done, how she … And it’s annoying at times and I’m like, what are you doing? And you get annoyed and everything she’s doing is to keep me here and keep me … the best person.
“I’ve made mistakes in the past which are well documented and whatever, but I’m a little bit different at times and she keeps me on that path and she’s done it for 20-odd years.”
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