Wayne Rooney, a former striker for Manchester United and England, has acknowledged that he battled with his body image during his playing career and is “insecure” about his weight.
Rooney, 39, informed Rio Ferdinand, his former teammate both at club and international levels that he would not remove his shirt even when he was the best shape as a football player and said he felt self-conscious even though he was “strong and powerful”.
“I’m actually very insecure about a number of things. I have been my whole career over my weight, over how I look,” United’s all-time record goalscorer said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast as quoted by The Irish Independent.
“Even when I was in the best shape I was in as a football player, I wouldn’t take my top off. I was strong, I was powerful. I never had abs but I was powerful – the best body you need to be a footballer.”
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After learning about Rooney’s issues with his body image, Ferdinand expressed surprise and claimed that it never occurred to him that his teammate was concealing his appearance.
“Until now I never would have said that,” Ferdinand replied.
“You are in a bubble,” Rooney said. “You’re meant to be this macho guy who is going and playing football and being successful. But a lot of the time, you are vulnerable.”
Rooney also admitted to Ferdinand that he feels “dead” without his wife Coleen Rooney supporting him throughout his bad periods and with his alcoholism.
Rooney confessed to Ferdinand that his drinking frequently went “too far” and that he once showed up for United training after going on a binge for “two days straight.”
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