Rooney was famed for those in his heyday, with a personal highlight reel including some stunning efforts that will be replayed for years to come – including a memorable overhead kick for United on derby day against City.
He was on the other side of the world when that rivalry was rekindled at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with the Blues getting the better of the Red Devils on this occasion – as Erling Haaland bagged a brace in a 3-0 win.
Rooney, who retired in 2021, was in Seoul, South Korea for a contest that pitched attacking firepower against defensive steel. The team of forwards, named FC Spear, took on a group of defenders in the form of Shield United. Surprisingly, it was the latter that prevailed 2-1.
It was, however, Rooney that broke the deadlock in style. As Shield United struggled to clear their lines, the ball fell invitingly to Rooney 25 yards out. His first time strike was whipped beyond ex-Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and into the bottom corner.
The likes of Gareth Bale, Steven Gerrard and Didier Drogba joined in the celebrations, but it was the team of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Carles Puyol and Alessandro Nesta that emerged victorious – with Maicon and Jooho Park on target for Shield United.
Rooney’s trip to Asia saw him take a break from Match of the Day duty, with the 39-year-old having returned to punditry after enduring a tough time in management – with his latest spells in the dugout at Birmingham and Plymouth being cut short after a matter of weeks in each post.
