Rooney’s Toughest Confession

At 39 years old, Wayne Rooney spoke more candidly than ever about the demons that marked his career. The former Manchester United striker admitted that alcohol was his escape during moments of extreme pressure, to the point of drinking until he lost consciousness in his early professional years. “I’ve had many challenges, both on and off the pitch, and my escape was alcohol,” he confessed during an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand’s Presents podcast.

The ex-footballer revealed that shame and the feeling of letting people down drove him to isolate himself at home and drink for days. “I didn’t know how to deal with it any other way, so I chose alcohol to try to get through it,” Rooney explained, exposing some of the darkest chapters of his personal life.

Coleen’s Crucial Role

Amid that storm, there was someone who stopped everything from collapsing: Coleen Rooney. “If it weren’t for my wife, I’d be dead,” he stated bluntly. He met her as a teenager in Croxteth, and since then she has been his rock. “She could see it, she knew my mind and knew I was a bit different. She always knew how to handle me when I needed it most,” Rooney acknowledged.

For her part, Coleen has never hidden how difficult it was to face her husband’s infidelity and excesses but explained that she chose to stand by him for their children and for her conviction to keep the family together. “There’s nothing we can’t face together,” she assured.

A New Path

After more than two decades together and four children, the Rooneys seem to have left their darkest days behind. Wayne has found stability in his new stage as a pundit on Match of the Day and with his own podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show. While his managerial career still sparks debate, his personal story now stands as an example of resilience and of how family support can make all the difference.