Five Wayne Rooney attributes that Manchester United and its fans will sorely miss

Some things are meant to be. And Wayne Rooney has scored his first senior Manchester United career hat-trick.

That was what the commentator said when Rooney set the Theatre of Dreams alight on a Champions League night. He netted a fairy tale debut hat-trick, while the United fans had a glimpse of how special he was.

Since then, Wayne Rooney has been an epitome of all the values United have stood for. Passion. Dedication. Selflessness. The never-give-up attitude. Wazza has it all. Though he has had his ups and downs, Rooney has given United fans a sea of memories.

His fairy-tale debut versus Fenerbahce, the scorcher versus Newcastle, the screamer versus Manchester City, the half-line finish versus West Ham and much more.

It is hard to see a player stay at a club for more than four or five years these days. Rooney, on the other hand, was a loyal servant to United for thirteen incredible years. As a player, it will always be hard for the Red Devils to find someone who equals his passion and work-rate for the game.

It certainly won't be easy for the United fans to forget their talismanic striker, following his departure to Everton.

Following his departure to his beloved boyhood club Everton, United are sorely gonna miss these five traits of their all-time top scorer.

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#5 Rooney's passion for the game

Rooney was one of the most passionate players at United.

There is not a pinch of doubt about how passionate Wayne Rooney is about football. The lad breathes football day and night. Over the years, he has earned rave reviews from countless peers that define his love for football.

“We all know football players at the top level are blessed with high wages, it’s no secret. But Rooney would play for 100 euros-a-week. You can see the fire in his eyes. It’s that fire which makes him the best of the best. His love for the game is natural. It’s like a father’s love for his son. He doesn’t need to convince himself he loves football – it was what he was born to do.” - Lionel Messi

Certainly, a quote like that from Lionel Messi is enough to define Wayne's eternal passion for the game. Every time he has been on the ground, Rooney has been deeply involved in the game for every single minute he has played. His terrific work-rate on the pitch is second to none.

As a player, he was everywhere on the pitch, covering every blade of grass he could find. It is hard to find a forward who would cover for left-back on a counter-attack. But, that's what Wayne Rooney is. An extremely resourceful, dedicated and determined professional.

#4: Selfless dedication to the team

Wayne Rooney was an exceptional team player.

If there was one term that would suit this United legend, it is 'team-player.' Rooney has been a selfless player who has always put his team before him. The dedication and selflessness Rooney has shown to United is rare to find. No wonder Messi deems him as a 'once in a generation' player.

Revealed in Patrick Barclay's biography titled Football, Bloody Hell! on Sir Alex Ferguson, Rooney asked to play as a centre back in 2005 for a clash versus Chelsea. Why? because United had been facing an injury crisis in their defence.

Although Sir Alex Ferguson didn't end up playing him in defence, he must surely have been proud to bring Rooney to United, seeing his selfless service for the team.

Another example, and the best he is known for, is his ultimate sacrifice for Cristiano Ronaldo in the team. Rooney was at his peak for United, when Sir Alex decided to play him on the left flank to accommodate Cristiano Ronaldo in the middle.

Any other player, including Ronaldo himself, would have quit for being sacrificed like that. But, Rooney stayed. The reason was he was never an egoistic player, despite being regarded as one of the best players in those times.

Imagine a player scoring 38 goals playing out of position. That proves what a top quality player Rooney was.

Back in 2009, when Ronaldo and Tevez left, it was predicted that United would go through a very dark time. Again, Rooney stepped up to the occasion, carrying the weight of United's expectation on his shoulders.

He scored 34 goals in all competitions that season, being a saviour at Old Trafford. All these examples exhibit his greatness both as a person and a player.

Recently, Rooney became United's all-time top scorer, netting a worthy record-breaking goal with an insane free-kick. Yet, the calmness with which he celebrated his goal shocked the fans.

When quizzed about it, Rooney stated that the draw was no reason to be happy and three points were every thing that mattered. Talk about dedication and selflessness. Rooney is a walking tribute to those two values.

#3: Versatility

Rooney's versatility was an added asset for Manchester United.

“As a player he’s got everything. He can play deep, left, right or in the middle. He scores goals inside the area but can also score from outside the box. As if that wasn’t enough, he sometimes plays in goal in training.” — Wes Brown

Another trait that makes the former Three Lions skipper one of the best of his generation. Rooney proved his versatility on multiple occasions for United, playing in a variety of positions throughout the years. And in doing so, he gave equally world-class performances in any position he played.

The first and foremost example for this is his performances on the left flank for United. Although he played out of position, Rooney struck a wonderful partnership with team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The two of them were absolutely terrific up front, scoring top notch goals week-in-week-out throughout the season. Rooney scored a career best of 34 goals in a season after being deployed on the left flank by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Again, when Paul Scholes retired, it was Wayne Rooney who filled up his boots. He played in the trademark Paul Scholes style, helping the attackers with his inch-perfect long balls.

A memorable performance was the game against Aston Villa in 2013, when United won their 20th title. Rooney was outstanding in a deeper midfield role, providing a sublime long ball from behind the half line for Robin Van Persie to score a memorable goal.

Sir Alex Ferguson always knew he could rely on Wayne to play in a position that was out of his reach. No matter wherever he played, Rooney always gave his ultimate best.

And, if you still doubt his performance, watch this video about his goalkeeping abilities. On any day, Rooney would have provided serious competition for Joe Hart in the national team! Amazing quality!

#2: Scoring world-class goals

Rooney had a knack for scoring world class goals.

This had to be on the list. Of all the multiple talents he possesses as a footballer, Rooney's goal-scoring prowess sets him as one of the best of his generation. He has scored memorable goals on many occasions for the Red Devils.

The first one that comes to mind, is the absolute scorcher against Newcastle he scored after having a spat with the referee. A fine example of how devastating Rooney can be when he is angry.

The second was a sublime finish versus West Ham on from just beyond the half way line. Rooney left the fans speechless, with David Beckham being one of them.

Another, and probably the best goal United fans will ever cherish, is his overhead bicycle winner versus Manchester City in 2011. Sir Alex Ferguson stated that it was the best goal at Old Trafford he had ever seen in his 25-year career at United.

Even if Rooney wasn't scoring goals, he always found a way to create them for his teammates. Certainly an attribute the fans would miss at Old Trafford. Here, relive some of his world-class goals.

#1: His leadership and manly demeanour

Wayne Rooney has exceptional leadership qualities.

Wayne Rooney is a born leader when it comes to leading his team. An early example of his leadership quality was revealed by Patrick Barclay in his biography about Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rooney once met Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher at a local store. Being an Everton fan, Rooney walked up to him and said,"I will be playing against you and scoring goals very soon." Rooney was just fifteen at that time.

Certainly, the confidence speaks a lot about his ability to be a world class leader. Rooney has also been a role model for all the youngsters that have come through the youth ranks in his times at United.

One fact the United fans love about their former captain is his manly demeanour on the pitch. Wayne Rooney was as brave as a gladiator when it came to facing rough tackles. At times he was reckless but chivalrous all the same.

You definitely don't want to be on the end of an angry Wayne Rooney, who could set the opponents quaking in their boots. He has been an absolute leader, always fighting for his players and the team.

Another fantastic characteristic of Rooney's uncanny manliness was the way he dealt with injuries. Rooney got horribly injured after a clash with Fulham striker Hugo Rodallega in 2012.

Apparently, Rodallega's studs ripped apart Rooney's thigh so deep, Danny Welbeck was unable to even look at it. Rooney preferred to walk down the pitch, even with that horrible gash. Although, he was stretchered off by the medics.

On the inside, Rooney was also great as a person with players who newly joined United. He helped many foreigners such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Fabio, Raphael, and Patrice Evra settle at the club. Also, he had fantastic relationships with all the strikers he played with, during his time at Old Trafford.

“He was the kid of England, everyone loved him. He was so powerful I was calling him ‘Pitbull.’ The power of Wayne Rooney is his mentality and strength and he never stops. He’s a fantastic team player and he scores. He’s a fantastic boy and he helped me a lot when he came to join us in Manchester.” — Cristiano Ronaldo.

As Ronaldo acknowledges his teammate, United fans will sorely miss this legend walking out in a United shirt.