“Their common age is 26. They’re within the prime of their footballing lives,” Clive Tyldesley, the ITV commentator, mentioned into his microphone as England ready to kick off in opposition to France at Euro 2004.
David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Michael Owen, Sol Campbell… this was England’s golden era at their peak.
But it was the baby-faced murderer amongst them, or the assassin-faced child as some preferred to name him, who performed as if he was able to take over the world.
This summer season marks 20 years since Wayne Rooney, aged 18, went on the rampage at Euro 2004.
“Like a raging bull,” Emile Heskey, the previous England striker, says. “The youthful enthusiasm, plus the fearlessness. He was phenomenal.”
Uncooked, unstable and prodigiously gifted, Rooney scored 4 targets in three-and-a-bit video games (England will ceaselessly surprise what may need been however for that metatarsal damage within the early levels of the quarter-final in opposition to Portugal), and lit up the group stage.
“I don’t bear in mind anybody making such an affect on a event since Pele within the 1958 World Cup,” Sven-Goran Eriksson, England’s supervisor, mentioned. “He’s an entire footballer.”
(Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar through Getty Photos)
Straight outta Croxteth, Rooney’s capability was a product of the place he grew up in Liverpool somewhat than how he had been coached.
“No person can take credit score for Wayne’s growth,” David Moyes, Rooney’s supervisor when he broke by means of at Everton, mirrored a few years later. “He’s most likely the final of these avenue gamers that was the trend while you return to all of the greats.”
That was how Rooney performed in Portugal – as if he had simply walked out of his outdated home on Armill Street, on the council property that formed and outlined his upbringing, with a ball tucked beneath his arm, able to tackle anybody and everybody who fancied their possibilities.
“Soccer conceitedness, in that he simply didn’t care,” says Jamie Carragher, who was a part of the England squad at Euro 2004.
“He was taking part in the very best degree of soccer that you may play wherever on the earth that summer season and he handled it like he was coaching with Everton’s youth crew. He was operating round, knocking folks out the way in which and simply doing what he needed.”
The France recreation was astonishing. Rooney nutmegged Robert Pires, went toe-to-toe with Claude Makelele, pirouetted away from Zinedine Zidane with a roulette flip, received a penalty with a panoramic run that began from inside his personal half, and revelled within the worry that he noticed within the eyes of Lilian Thuram and Mikael Silvestre.
“I feel you may see their centre-backs have been scared to go close to me,” Rooney mentioned on the Amazon documentary about his life that was launched two years in the past.
Whether or not you have been watching at house from the consolation of your couch, excessive up within the stands within the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, and even pitchside on the England substitutes’ bench, Rooney’s emergence as a global star made for compelling viewing.
“I bear in mind everybody was simply one another open-mouthed,” Carragher says.
“I image that scene with (Paul) Merson laughing after Owen’s purpose in opposition to Argentina in 1998 – we have been like that on the bench (in opposition to France). We have been like, ‘Oh my God. Is he actually doing that to these gamers?’”
🏴 When teenager Wayne Rooney dazzled at EURO 2004 🤩
👀 Which teen are you backing to shine for the Three Lions this time?@England | @WayneRooney | #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/bNTbCxQjkF
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 13, 2021
Trying again, it was a watershed second for Rooney, who moved to Outdated Trafford from Everton for greater than £25million (then $45m) later that summer season.
“I don’t suppose he was stitched on for Manchester United earlier than Euro 2004,” says Tyldesley, who delivered his well-known ‘Bear in mind the title’ commentary line nearly two years earlier, after Rooney had scored that purpose in opposition to Arsenal for Everton.
“I feel there was an enormous shout for Newcastle on the time and possibly Chelsea. However there was hypothesis about his future somewhat than an inevitability that he would begin the brand new season in numerous colors.
“So this, actually, is your story: this was the making of Wayne Rooney, this was when he got here to the world’s consideration.”
“I doubt how a lot Rooney may give to England. He’s very younger – too younger for such a tough competitors like this. He lacks worldwide expertise, so for England to rely upon him to attain their targets is harmful. Rooney just isn’t Michael Owen – he was a much better participant on his debut for the England crew.”
Thuram poked the bear with these pre-match feedback.
Rooney later admitted that he made a psychological observe of them – and, Rooney being Rooney, he was by no means going to let it relaxation there.
Within the second half in opposition to France, in an uncharacteristically untidy passage of play from him on the evening, Rooney stumbled over the ball twice in fast succession. What occurred subsequent was extra calculated. Thuram stepped in to make a problem however Rooney, holding out his proper arm, noticed the defender coming.
“I simply banged proper into his jaw after which I seemed again at him as if to say: ‘Now you understand who I’m.’”
(PAUL BARKER/AFP through Getty Photos)
Thuram was 14 years his senior and one of the crucial distinguished defenders on the earth on the time. However Rooney didn’t care one bit about that.
When he recalled the incident in 2022, half a lifetime later, Rooney mentioned that he may nonetheless see the expression on Thuram’s face. “The worry of considering: ‘What am I going to do right here?’”
Little greater than 10 minutes later, David Beckham hooked an extended ball in direction of the left flank, the place Rooney was stationed near the midway line. With Thuram closing in on him, Rooney nonchalantly lifted the ball over the centre-back’s head and accelerated away, leaving him in his wake. As Rooney bore down on purpose, Silvestre got here throughout and scythed him down for a stonewall penalty. It was unbelievable to look at. Rooney was single-handedly tormenting France.
(Ross Kinnaird/Getty Photos)
The belief has all the time been that Thuram was disrespectful in direction of Rooney earlier than the sport, displaying an ignorance bordering on conceitedness with these dismissive remarks about him, however Olivier Dacourt insists that was not the case.
In accordance with Dacourt, Thuram had the identical mindset as Benoit Assou-Ekotto, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur full-back who paid little consideration to something to do with soccer other than when he was operating round with a pair of shoes on.
“If you understand Lilian, Lilian doesn’t comply with soccer, he doesn’t care,” Dacourt says. “He’s following soccer now along with his kids (Thuram’s two sons are professionals), however on the time he didn’t also have a tv at house.
“I bear in mind the primary time he met Jean-Alain Boumsong (the previous Rangers and Newcastle defender), he didn’t know who he was!”
Dacourt, who got here on as a late substitute for France within the England recreation, breaks into laughter.
“Lilian mentioned, ‘Who is that this man?’ I needed to introduce the 2 of them – it was with the nationwide crew. Are you able to think about that?
“So Lilian wasn’t being disrespectful (in direction of Rooney). It was simply that he didn’t know.”
Both method, Rooney was within the temper to depart an indelible mark on anybody who crossed his path at Euro 2004. He had hearth in these iconic Nike Whole 90 boots and welcomed confrontation.
(Shaun Botterill/Getty Photos)
“There’s a well-known Elbow music, ‘Lippy Youngsters’, and Wayne was that lippy child,” Tyldesley says. “I’m positive that’s what the opponents noticed. He had that mischief in his eyes the place he needed you to recollect him past the sport.”
Crucially, Rooney additionally had the expertise and the physicality to again it up.
“At 16, Wayne Rooney was in a person’s physique, and he knew find out how to put that physique round,” Heskey provides. “You wouldn’t have believed his age. He was like that darts participant.”
Luke Littler, who reached the World Darts Championship ultimate in January on the age of 16, could properly recognize that comparability greater than Rooney, however you get the purpose that Heskey is attempting to make. Sir Alex Ferguson wrote in his autobiography that every one Manchester United’s “intelligence about Wayne Rooney as an Evertonian schoolboy could possibly be condensed right into a single phrase. This was a person taking part in in under-age soccer.”
Tyldesley nods. “You nearly must look again at footage from that period to recollect what Wayne Rooney seemed like at 18. He was battle-ready when he was first enlisted as a result of not solely was he a gifted avenue footballer, however he was streetwise with a bullish physicality.
“And having lived on Merseyside for 15 years and received just a little perception – and I stress just a little – into how completely different that metropolis is from most within the UK, I’ve all the time been of the conclusion that the concept of dealing with (Patrick) Vieira and Thuram within the opening recreation of a serious championship was one thing that he may absorb his stride as a result of he’d most likely seen extra scary issues on his method house from college in Croxteth. And I hope that doesn’t sound dismissive in direction of Merseyside, as a result of (his upbringing) was the making of him.”
In the end, Rooney’s efforts in opposition to France have been in useless. Beckham’s spot kick was saved and England, who had been main by means of Frank Lampard’s first-half header, pressed the self-destruct button in added time, when Zidane scored twice, first with an beautiful free kick after which with a penalty following Gerrard’s blind backpass.
A minimum of England didn’t must look too far for a silver lining in defeat – everybody was speaking about Rooney, together with the French.
“A type of new Paul Gascoigne,” L’Equipe mentioned of their participant scores. “The irascible 18-year-old confirmed monumental preventing spirit.”
Naturally, the French sports activities paper nonetheless solely gave Rooney 6.5 out of 10.
Bruno Berner shakes his head. “I nonetheless can’t imagine that these guys didn’t obtain something,” the previous Switzerland worldwide says.
“Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Beckham… it appears unimaginable. It was a world-class English crew and now you’ve got a younger lad coming by means of the ranks with unbelievable starvation. That is what I bear in mind with Rooney.
“All of us noticed him in his first Premier League video games. So we, because the Swiss nationwide crew, didn’t for one minute underestimate an 18-year-old Wayne Rooney.”
Switzerland have been up subsequent for England and Rooney carried on the place he left off in opposition to France, solely this time he added targets to his recreation too. The primary was a header that created historical past as he turned the youngest goalscorer within the European Championship finals, and the second was a shot that hit the submit and went in off the again of the pinnacle of the Switzerland keeper Jorg Stiel.
(Mark Leech/Offside through Getty Photos)
In a crew of A-listers, Rooney was operating the present and taking part in with extraordinary self-belief. “I bear in mind in that event, at 18, considering to myself, ‘I’m the very best participant on the earth, there’s nobody higher than me.’ And I imagine at the moment I used to be.”
Berner smiles. “I can properly think about he would say that. He was simply filled with confidence and he delivered.
“He didn’t care who was in entrance of him on the pitch, he took the shortest strategy to the purpose. That is what we noticed, or I noticed, at the moment. However you possibly can solely do this if you find yourself completely fearless. Not boastful. Fearless.”
Rooney’s second purpose in opposition to Croatia, in England’s third group recreation, was a working example. He performed a one-two with Owen, sprinted clear from simply contained in the Croatia half and also you knew – you simply knew – that he would rating. Direct and lethal, he glanced in direction of one nook and swept the ball into the opposite.
By that stage, Rooney had already drilled in a shot from exterior the field and arrange a purpose for Paul Scholes.
🏴🆚🇭🇷 EURO 2004 version: Two Wayne Rooney targets helped England to a 4-2 victory in Lisbon within the group stage… #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/4FBqU4vEJF
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 13, 2021
“His motion, his velocity… he was not human,” Dario Simic, the Croatia right-back, says. “He was a beast – like out of a movie the place you see somebody who’s simply naturally so robust with out going to the gymnasium.”
England have been by means of to the quarter-finals and Roo-mania was now sweeping throughout the nation. “HEROO”, yelled the Each day Mirror entrance web page.
A Portugal aspect that includes a core of gamers from the Porto crew that had simply received the Champions League, in addition to Luis Figo and a teenage Cristiano Ronaldo, have been up subsequent.
The host nation could be troublesome opponents however England have been buoyant after scoring seven targets of their earlier two matches. On high of that, that they had the standout participant within the event thus far.
What may probably go fallacious?
A fractured metatarsal, that’s what.
Operating for a ball alongside Jorge Andrade, Rooney misplaced his boot after the Portugal defender unintentionally trod on his foot. Rooney tried to hold on however winced as quickly as he began operating and dropped to the ground moments later. He had heard a crack.
(Laurence Griffiths/Getty Photos)
Gary Lewin, England’s physio, feared the worst immediately. “I bear in mind there’s an image of him on the ground and I’m speaking to Sven and I mentioned to Sven: ‘This could possibly be his metatarsal. I’m involved.’ I feel he tried it… you understand what Wazza is like, ‘Let me get on with it.’ However he knew himself,” Lewin says.
The sport was lower than half an hour outdated and Rooney’s Euro 2004 was over. He was devastated and so have been England’s gamers. “It was a type of moments that breaks your focus, breaks your rhythm, breaks all the things in a recreation – seeing your talisman strolling off the pitch,” Owen advised the BBC of their World at His Ft documentary.
Not surprisingly, it galvanised Portugal. “We have been relieved, in fact. I’m not going to lie,” says Costinha, the previous Portuguese midfielder. “Rooney was an incredible participant.
“On the identical time, while you play for the nationwide crew and play within the largest competitions, you all the time wish to play in opposition to the very best gamers as a result of that’s the way in which you enhance.
“However it was higher for us that he was out of the sport. He gave us just a little little bit of relaxation in defence when he went off.
“When you’ve got different gamers like (Darius) Vassell and Heskey within the assault, you understand their strengths. However when you’ve got an 18-year-old like Rooney, who’s an absolute expertise, generally these gamers are unpredictable. He was very troublesome to mark and management.”
Rooney watched the remainder of the sport, which Portugal received on penalties, from a hospital mattress, fascinated about what may need been.
Fifteen years later, as his taking part in profession got here to a detailed, his view hadn’t modified. “The shape I used to be in, the boldness I had, if I stayed match I imagine we’d have received,” Rooney advised Gary Neville, his former England and Manchester United team-mate, in an interview on Sky Sports activities.
What we didn’t know then – and what we couldn’t have believed then – is that Rooney would by no means come near reprising that kind for England at a serious event once more.
As a substitute, there have been badly-timed accidents, a pink card, arguments with England followers, humiliating exits and, maybe greater than something, inconsistent performances – from Rooney in addition to his team-mates.
So does that imply that Euro 2004 was prime Rooney?
“No, I’d say that was Rooney given freedom,” Heskey replies. “It was off the cuff – you’re simply taking part in. While you’re older you are likely to play inside a technique and the ways of the crew. However when he was youthful it was simply: ‘Give me the ball and let me do what I do.’”
Carragher agrees. “I don’t suppose that was Rooney at his peak. There’s little doubt he turned a greater participant – he had a few seasons at Manchester United the place he was the very best participant within the Premier League. However there’s additionally little doubt it was his greatest event and his standout second in an England shirt.
“I feel Euro 2004 was Rooney with the world not realizing an excessive amount of about him, and him not considering an excessive amount of about soccer. As he received older and received extra mature, he would have thought concerning the recreation extra, he would have thought of what an enormous recreation means, the expectation degree. However I feel this was a participant who, as you mentioned earlier than, didn’t give a f*** mainly, and that was a avenue footballer.”
(Images: Getty Photos/Design: Eamonn Dalton)