Wayne Rooney has opened up on his battles with alcohol in his early career, claiming he used “eye drops and chewing gum” to mask the scent from his two-day benders, and that he would be “dead” without his wife, Coleen.
Rooney, now 39, burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old at Everton. Just two years later, he became the star attraction at Old Trafford after his £25million move.
As a youngster being flung into the limelight, Rooney maintained the importance of both focusing on a highly successful football career and his fruitful social life.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former England striker discussed the extent of his alcohol binges and how he would disguise any sign of a drink when turning up to training the following morning.
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“I wanted to go out and enjoy my time with my friends and have a night out,” Rooney revealed. “It got to a point where I went too far, of course it did. That was a moment in my life where I was struggling massively.”
“With alcohol. Massively struggling, and I didn’t think I could turn to anyone. I didn’t really want to because I didn’t want to put that burden on anyone.
Wayne Rooney has opened up on his battles with alcohol in his early career, claiming he used “eye drops and chewing gum” to mask the scent from his two-day benders, and that he would be “dead” without his wife, Coleen
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“I remember going into training and putting eye drops in, chewing gum. I just drank for two days straight. Go 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."
At just 16, Wayne and Coleen began their relationship and have been together ever since. The former Plymouth boss cited his long-term relationship with his wife as the reason he is not “dead”.
Wayne Rooney claimed he would 'drink for two days straight' before training
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"Coleen is massive. It's bad because we're two kids from Croxteth, and then we grew up together and obviously we started dating and we got married and have kids,” he continued.
"But when I was 17 she could see, she knew my mind, and she knew I was a bit out there. I loved my football, obsessed with football, but also I loved a night out or going out.
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Wayne Rooney won five Premier League titles during his time at Manchester United
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"She's seen it very early on and she's controlled that. Well, not controlled, but helped me control that massively.
"And at times you're like, 'What are you doing? Why do you keep saying don't do this or don't do that?'
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"[She's] the best person and I've made mistakes in the past which are well-documented and whatever, but I'm a little bit different at times and she keeps me on that path and she's done it for 20-odd years.
“I honestly believe if she weren’t there I’d be dead.”
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Wayne Rooney claimed he would be 'dead' without his wife, Coleen
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Rooney’s startling revelations are the latest in a relationship that has seen its ups and downs play out in the media.
The 39-year-old’s alleged infidelities are well-known, but his wife Coleen has continued to stick by him throughout the controversies, despite even moving out of the family home at one point.
Despite public spats, Wayne and Coleen Rooney have remained together and now appear stronger than ever
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Speaking previously, she explained: "When you're making those decisions, you've got to focus on what you want and not other people because you have so many people saying different things to you, 'Oh, why is she getting back with him?'
"Obviously I listen to the people that matter to me, my mum and dad always give me a positive outlook on things.
"There's nothing that we can't deal with, and that's my way in a situation - let's sit down and see what we can do, and can we make it work? And we have.
"We're not the lovey-dovey type anyway, we like to have a laugh and we work well together."
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