There are an abundance of young, up-and-coming, and experienced footballers that are being touted as the best player in the world - players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi usually come to mind. Though these are perhaps the archetypal examples talented footballers, one mustn't forget that there are others in this group besides the two luminaries – Wayne Rooney, for example.
Rooney was born on 24 October 1985, in the city of Liverpool. His parents, Thomas Wayne and Jeanette Rooney were Irish, and brought up Rooney and his two younger brothers as Catholic. He played for several youth squads in his home city, and eventually signed to Everton by talent scout Robert Pendleton. After his breakout game for the full Everton team in 2002, he was quickly recognised to be one of the brightest talents in England. In 2004, he was transferred to Manchester United for £25.6 million. He was 18 years old.
His Manchester years have turned out to be quite impressive. His transfer alone was groundbreaking, as it was the most expensive for any player under 20 years old. His first game for Manchester United – on 28 September 2004 in a 6–2 home win over Fenerbahçe in the UEFA Champions league – was an unqualified success for Rooney, as he was scored a hat trick and assisted another goal.
Since his early days, however, Rooney's career has been a somewhat bumpy one. With a string of red cards for wild behaviour, a number of injuries and reported fallings out with manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Rooney has not had one of the most serene football careers of all time. Fans of the English national team will be somewhat frustrated with Rooney, for his lack of consistent play. However, he is without doubt one of the best players on the planet and, with age still on his side, could grow even further.