Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney has claimed that he will never retire early from international football in the manner that Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have. In recent years Ashley Cole and Rio Ferdinand, as well as the two named above, have retired from internationals in order to prolong their club careers. The 29-year-old says that he will never follow in their footsteps.
Apparently it was a few words from his wife Coleen that swayed him to make this decision. “A lot of the players I have played with other the last 10 years, Steven, Frank, Ashley, Rio have retired from internationals. When you get to a certain age, you almost feel like you have to do it, to extend your club career, but she was actually very good,” Rooney said.
“She was the one who said to me: ‘It’s a short career, you have got plenty of time to have your time off with us as a family when you finish playing and you will regret it if you do (retire from internationals)’.
I obviously thought ‘yes, I would’. Football is what I love doing. Playing for my country I love, I would regret it. I don’t think I ever would walk away.”
Rooney is currently close to breaking the all time England goalscoring record. After scoring against Slovenia on Saturday he now has 44 goals for his country. Sir Bobby Charlton is the current holder of the record, with 49 strikes for the Three Lions.
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