WAYNE ROONEY
Wayne joined the Blues at the age of nine and went on to develop into one of the most exciting talents in world football. He scored his first Premier League goal - a late winner against Arsenal - in 2002 and he would amass 17 goals in 77 appearances before moving to Manchester United two years later. Having won 12 major honours in 13 years at Old Trafford, Wayne returned to Everton and spent the 2017-18 season at Goodison Park, scoring 10 times. He won the Blues' Goal of the Season prize for his incredible 59-yard effort in a 4-0 win over West Ham United at Goodison. Wayne then moved to MLS team DC United the following summer and continues to ply his trade in the US. Internationally, the forward is England’s most capped outfield player (119 appearances) and record goalscorer (53 goals).
WAYNE'S TESTIMONIAL
I was nine years old when I first joined Everton, it was the year we won the FA Cup final in 1995. The Club took all the Academy players to the final so it was a good start! From the moment I joined, I enjoyed the training and how much the coaches helped me develop as a player.
When I first joined it was just about playing football and enjoying it, and then as I was getting a bit older, around 14, it was more about knowing your role in the team and knowing what position you wanted to play. I always remember I played as a striker, a midfielder and then Colin Harvey sat me down and taught me how a number 10 plays.
You see the players Everton has produced, before me and after me. The Club’s Academy is one of the best for producing young talent, and not just kids from Liverpool.
The Academy has had a massive influence on my career. It was what I loved doing every day for nine years, coming and playing for Everton, whether that was the Academy or the first team. Everton really gave me that benchmark to go on and achieve what I have achieved in football so I am forever grateful for that and hopefully, in the near future, there will be some more young lads coming through who can look back at their time with the same appreciation which I do.
