From The Times:
‘Wayne Rooney was playing five-a-side on cobbles last week when the ball looped through the air towards him. A nudge in the back of an opponent and, cheekily, he had stolen possession. These were street rules and old habits die hard — even when the opposition are children.
Rooney had returned to the back streets for a promotion by one of his sponsors, Coca-Cola:
“A lot of people seem to think you are not going to see the people you grew up with just because you play football, but that is stupid really,” he said. “You have their numbers, phone them, text them and I go back to see them. People make you out to be something you are not. That has happened a lot over the last few years, but we are normal people who play football.
“Career-wise we took different paths, but we are still mates. They have their own jobs, builders, working in offices, whatever. When we talk to each other, my job or theirs doesn’t get mentioned.”
“I get told off by Coleen for kicking a ball around the house, but I have to have one near me. I’ll have one in the kitchen for when I’m getting myself a drink or one on the couch to juggle when I am watching telly. I will take one to play with my dog. If you have a ball at your feet all the time, you are going to feel the improvement. Obviously you get the coaching as you progress and you learn to be clever with your movement.