9 unbelievable Wayne Rooney career moments

#9 A chase, a tackle, and an assist

From tackling like Maldini to play-making like Pirlo in a matter of seconds!

Like million of others in his legion of doting fans - ‘Rooney-maniacs’, it was difficult to see him cross the pond and go to a league where football does not mean football. It mostly means handball with few kicks and a whole lot of security gear!

Therefore, the soccer scene of MLS seemed like an anti-climax to my favorite fairy tale. However, I am glad to be wrong in my propensity for jeremiad predictions. The Audi field may have seen many glorious nights and sensational goals, but I doubt MLS will ever witness the script that came to life against Orlando City.

The score was locked at 2-2, 6th minute of injury time against a 10-man Orlando, and inexplicably the DC United goalkeeper came up to try and nick a winner from a corner. Predictably, seconds later he was seen scampering back like the roadrunner on Red Bull, as Orlando counter attacked with three players.

Their only hurdle to circumvent - a sprinting Rooney, half dead and half tired but obstinately unyielding. He chased down Orlando’s Will Johnson with a gaping goal in front of him, threw in a Maldini tackle (someone else came up with the adjective), and dribbled a few yards back into the opposition half.

Then in a very familiar way (he has been doing this before Pirlo became a half-decent deep-lying playmaker!), nauseating to some fickle Manchester United glory hunters, produced a match winning 50 yard assist.

That’s a Hollywood ending on Capitol Hill. In a span of seven seconds Rooney encapsulated what makes him a true sporting gold dust and a working class hero.

Presenting DC United's new captain and talisman, 'Wayne Rooney'

It is even more incredible when you have already seen the same scenario, be it in an England jersey, choreographed in a Nike-advertisement years ago. Spooky but splendid!

The fact is that although the curtain call is close and the mileage is almost at the end, there is plenty of gas in the tank, plenty of fire in the belly, plenty of desire in the heart, and a whole lot of fight in the warrior yet. And so for all watching, there remains plenty of reasons to fall in love with Wayne Rooney!