Manchester United and Everton will feature in a first-of-its-kind match to be streamed live on Facebook when they play a testimonial match for Wayne Rooney on 3rd August at Old Trafford. According to BBC Sport, the social network is estimated to reach 1.7 billion users through Rooney's and United's Facebook pages, in their first-ever attempt to broadcast such a match.
The game between Rooney's only two professional clubs will hallmark his 12 faithful years at Manchester United since his move from Everton in 2004.
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PA Sport reported that all gatherings will go to the Wayne Rooney Foundation, then to be distributed amongst the striker’s four chosen charities—the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Claire House Hospice, Alder Hey Children's Hospital and the Manchester United Foundation.
The England and Manchester United captain expressed his delight at the event taking place in his name, as he told PA Sport: "I am delighted that through this agreement with Facebook my testimonial game will be streamed globally on both the Wayne Rooney and Manchester United Facebook pages. It will be the first time this will have happened and will hopefully raise awareness of the Foundation and increase donations."
As a tribute to the 30-year-old’s successful establishment amongst football greats, and his altruistic contribution to charity foundations, we have compiled a list of Wayne Rooney’s five best moments of his club-career.
The goal that announced Wayne Rooney to the world
In 2002, Everton were playing Arsenal at Goodison Park, or rather against a team who were defending champions and on a 30-game unbeaten streak, and the score was 1-1. Then came a 16-year-old who stole the attention instead of being a victim to the eye of the storm.
Wayne Rooney broke the record by becoming the youngest player to score in the Premier League history. A long lob was delivered to his range and he controlled it with a deft touch, turned with the perfect intuition of the space he was getting into (which he didn’t), and with a couple of touches he fired a venomous shot synonymous to his energy yet accurate in precision that found the back of the net.
"Remember the name," exclaimed Clive Tyldesley. And the message came as a warning to David Seaman who’s jaw probably still drops at the memory of the 25 yarder. Wayne Rooney had announced himself to the world.
Wayne Rooney grilled his critics who lamented his ‘overestimated’ big money move with a hat-trick on debut
In the summer of 2004, Sir Alex Ferguson made a record transfer for any under-20 player by lashing a fee of 27 million pounds. Wayne Rooney had asked Everton for a transfer, however, the word around the town described the asking price as ‘over-estimated’ while many pundits criticised Ferguson’s judgement of paying such a huge fee.
Rooney signed up and wearing the no 8 jersey, made his Manchester United debut in a Champions League encounter against Fenerbahce, and scored a thumping hat-trick that silenced all commentators. The world was stunned with the reality-check of this 18-year-old’s promising talent.
What left the biggest impression was that he completed his trilogy of goals within just 37 minutes, courtesy of a sublime free-kick and giving justice to assists by Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ryan Giggs. On that day 67,128 spectators couldn’t believe a football game’s ticket could be so worth it!
A Champions League medal to his name
In 2008, Manchester United defeated Chelsea in an all-English Champions League final in Moscow, beating them in sudden death after a tight 1-1 draw at the end of extra-time. The match was so keenly contested by teams high on emotions that even the gods showed their involvement as it poured making reality much more mouth-watering.
The final was an intense affair that saw Carlos Tevez get anxiously physical, Chelsea hitting the woodwork a couple of times, and Rooney’s both counter-attacking set ups coming agonizingly close to being finished by his United teammates. In the aftermath, Cristiano Ronaldo missed the penalty in the shootout, John Terry slipped in his attempt which allowed United a comeback, and the decisive Van der Sar save which gave the verdict to the event.
A goal that is pronounced as the greatest Premier League goal ever
Alright, it would really mean jumping to a conclusion, if this... isn’t amongst the greatest goal in the Premier League history! Wayne Rooney seldom fails to live up to his hype of surprising the football world with his spectacular performances, and his scissor kick against Manchester City is arguably the classiest finish in any Manchester derby ever.
As tense as it always gets, the Manchester derby of February 2011 was even at 1-1 until the 77th minute when Rooney’s bicycle kick sent shock waves that are hard to find even on a PS controller! United emerged victorious courtesy of Rooney’s magic, but that was just the icing on a cake, since his acrobatic finish stole the headlines.
Because Rooney can’t get enough of playing Arsenal...
Wayne Rooney had special memories of playing against Arsenal. But as much as he is a giver in real, he hadn’t shared his true nature with the Gunners until the start of 2011-12 season. At the dawn of new season, Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford full of enthusiasm and while they hoped to make a title statement, little did they know that Rooney had other plans.
Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick and set up a couple of goals as Manchester United thrashed Arsenal 8-2 in a humiliation that still haunts the Gunners. He scored a free-kick which appeared to have been picked out from the manual, and then put another dead ball at the back of the net, by manipulating Wojciech Szczesny with a master deception.
Eventually, he completed his hat-trick by drilling a penalty with aplomb. Early on, Robin van Persie’s lukewarm penalty was saved by David de Gea, which he rues till this day.
