PRESS BOX VIEW - PRESS ASSOCIATION

Last updated : 29 September 2004 By editor

'Wayne Rooney launched himself into the footballing stratosphere with a debut hat-trick for Manchester United in a 6-2 victory over Fenerbahce at Old Trafford. On this evidence, Sir Alex Ferguson would have made a wise investment if he had spent the next two years' transfer budget on the 18-year-old, instead of the bargain £27million which prised him from Everton last month.

Never, in all the years of this illustrious club, can any one player have made such a startling start to their career.

Two brutal first-half efforts were followed by an incredible Beckham-esque free-kick seven minutes after the break to ensure Rooney left the Theatre of Dreams with a match ball, a place in history and the adoring chants of 60,000 voices ringing in his ears.

The young striker had already made an impressive start to the first European game of his career, even though Fabio Luciano had clearly been detailed to mark him wherever he went. Luciano stuck gamely to his task for the first quarter of an hour but he surely will not be the first unfortunate defender to discover tracking Rooney for an entire game is an almost impossible task.

Ryan Giggs had already put the hosts in front when … There, 25 yards out, completely unmarked was Rooney. Lads of his age get nervous about asking girls out for a date or sitting an exam. In front of 67,000 expectant fans and millions at home on TV, this 18-year-old showed the maturity of someone twice his age, striding onto the pass before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Rustu Recber.

The Turkish goalkeeper had been so dismissive of United's chances before the game but he obviously had not seen much of Rooney. He did not see much of the England star's next shot either as it flew low to his left to put the hosts 3-0 up.

Rooney had been left with slightly more to do this time after taking Giggs' square ball but after dancing past Umit Ozat, he created enough room for the thunderbolt effort which Rustu watched fly into his goal.

If Rooney had been able to divert a shot from Gary Neville's low cross on target, he might have had a match ball to accompany his half-time tea. As it was, the Merseysider had to wait until seven minutes after the restart to execute the goal that will enshrine him in Old Trafford folklore no matter what happens during the remainder of his career.

There was a certain symmetry about the goal too, seeing as Rooney is on the verge of eclipsing Beckham as the most talked-about English player on the planet. At the same end, and roughly the same spot from which Beckham delivered the miracle free-kick that sent England to the World Cup in 2002, Rooney matched the achievement to complete his hat-trick'