Wayne Rooney: I ignored Ferguson's instructions for the sake of playing for the England national team.

According to The Sun: Wayne Rooney admitted that he incredibly loved playing for the England national team so much that he was willing to ignore Sir Alex Ferguson's instructions to take the field with the three lions on his chest.

The 39-year-old Rooney has played 120 matches for the England national team throughout his career, representing the country in three World Cups and three European Championships.

This legendary forward held the title of England's all-time top scorer for eight years until current captain Harry Kane broke his record in 2023.

It is no surprise that Rooney cherished wearing the national team jersey, however, his club manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, did not always support the idea of increasing his star player's playing time during international matches.

Following Ferguson's instructions

While hosting the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC, Rooney talked about how often he broke Ferguson's rule of playing only 45 minutes instead of the full 90 when representing England.

“You want to be in every squad. I always loved being called up to the England national team, whether it was a friendly or a qualifier,”

“I always remember Sir Alex Ferguson, before some matches, I’m sure he also spoke to the England manager, saying: ‘Right, you, no more than 45 minutes. Make sure you come off after 45 minutes or play only 45 minutes.’”

“When I came to the national team, I said: ‘Boss, I want to play 90 minutes. I want to play the full match, don’t substitute me,' because I loved playing.”

Wayne Rooney's Career with the England National Team

A brief overview of Wayne Rooney's time with the England national team...

STATISTICS

• Caps: 120
• Goals: 53
• Assists: 21
• Yellow cards: 12
• Red cards: 2

TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES

• Euro 2004 – Quarter-finals against Portugal
• World Cup 2006 – Quarter-finals against Portugal
• World Cup 2010 – Round of 16 against Germany
• Euro 2012 – Quarter-finals against Italy
• World Cup 2014 – Group stage exit
• Euro 2016 – Round of 16 against Iceland

DEBUT

• February 12, 2003, against Australia (age 17)

LAST GAME

• November 15, 2018, against the USA (age 33)

Rooney also noted that he suspected Ferguson was aware of his tricks but was not too frustrated, as it helped him maintain his rhythm in school football.

“I think he knew, and honestly, I played better when I played,”

“The more I played, the better I showed my level. I don’t think it particularly bothered him.”

“For instance, if Rio [Ferdinand] played 90 minutes, he might have been a bit annoyed.”

Wayne Rooney left a bright mark in the history of English football, and his passionate desire to play for the team became a symbol of dedication. His career with the national team was filled with significant achievements, and the years spent on the field with three lions will forever be etched in history. Today, we can only watch as new generations of footballers try to replicate his successes, hoping to find the same love for the game and their country.