English football legend Wayne Rooney has admitted that he might not be alive today if not for the intervention of his wife, Coleen, who helped him manage his struggles with alcohol.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former Manchester United and England striker opened up to his former teammate about his destructive drinking habits at the height of his career.
At the time, Rooney revealed he would “drink for two days straight,” explaining his cycle: “come training and at the weekend I’d score two goals and then I’d go back and go and drink for two days straight again.”
He credited his wife with saving his life. “She helped me control that massively and managed me because I needed managing,” Rooney said. “I honestly believe, if she weren’t there, I’d be dead.”
Rooney recalled that Coleen, whom he met as a teenager in Liverpool before marrying in 2008, recognized his issues early on.
“When I was 17, she could see, she knew my mind and she knew I was a bit out there,” he shared. “I loved my football, obsessed with football, but also I loved a night out or whatever, going out. She’s seen it very early on and she’s controlled that. Well, not controlled, but helped me control that massively.”
The 39-year-old also admitted to trying to conceal his drinking from legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, often chewing gum and using eye drops after sessions.
The couple, who share four children, have endured several public challenges tied to Rooney’s drinking and infidelity. In 2017, he was arrested for drink-driving in Cheshire, later pleading guilty, receiving a two-year driving ban, and paying a fine. A year later, he faced a “public intoxication” charge in the United States.
Having recently stepped down as Plymouth Argyle’s head coach, Rooney now hosts a BBC podcast and works as a pundit on Match of the Day.
