Wayne Rooney has gone from being one of the finest players of his generation to a burgeoning punditry career. In fact, Manchester United’s all-time record goalscorer has impressed so much since stepping into analysis that he has been selected for the BBC’s coverage of this summer’s World Cup.
After hanging up his boots, Rooney, 40, had disappointing spells managing Plymouth Argyle and at Birmingham City, prompting him to pivot toward a career in punditry.
After joining the BBC in 2025, he quickly settled into life in the studio. Now a regular face on Match of the Day, Rooney will get to impress for the Beeb in his biggest gig yet, taking on matches for the upcoming tournament, which takes place in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Before that, though, he will be in place at Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City on Saturday. Mirror Football takes a closer look at Rooney’s punditry journey so far.
Rooney showcased his sentimental side when he was moved to the verge of tears on the BBC after his younger brother, John, masterminded Macclesfield’s historic FA Cup victory over Crystal Palace in January.
John was released by Everton at the age of 12. He went on to play for Chester, Wrexham, Stockport, Oldham and Macclesfield. He took his first managerial post with the Silkmen last summer before overseeing one of the greatest FA Cup shocks of all time.
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The emotion was not lost on his older brother. As the siblings embraced at full-time, Rooney’s voice trembled as he told the BBC: “I’m actually getting emotional. To see my younger brother achieve this, he’s not long been in management.
View 3 ImagesWayne Rooney showed a lesser-known side of himself following brother John’s FA Cup win(Image: BBC)
“To get to the fourth round of the FA Cup and beat a Premier League team in Crystal Palace, I’m so proud of him. He looked calm – I don’t know how. It’s such an achievement what he’s done today. Absolutely superb.”
Rooney’s early success on the punditry scene has reportedly earned him a lucrative broadcasting deal. Reports suggest the ex-Everton striker signed a two-year contract at the BBC worth around £800,000 – placing him among the company’s best-paid football pundits on roughly £400,000 per year.
That astonishing figure places him just behind Match of the Day icon Alan Shearer. The former Newcastle United hero earned between £440,000 and £444,999 last year, according to BBC figures.
View 3 ImagesWayne Rooney has impressed on the BBC(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Bosses at the BBC were thought to be keen to land Rooney after his successful stint during Euro 2024, where his honest and insightful analysis won over fans. The ex-England star already has a hefty bank balance, however.
Owing to his days on the pitch, Rooney reportedly earned more than £300,000 per week. Combined with lucrative endorsement deals with brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola and EA Sports, his net worth is estimated to come in at around £127m, as per Celebrity Net Worth.
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