Wayne Rooney says he feared he could have died or killed someone at the lowest point of his drinking problems.
The Derby County manager and record goal-scorer for both Manchester United and England was speaking to BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent before the release of a new documentary about his life.
He revealed the darkest places that alcohol and mental health issues have taken him to, and when asked what his biggest fear was in those moments, he replied: “Probably death.”
Speaking about the “mistakes” he had made, the 36-year-old added: “That could have been girls, it could have been drink-driving, which I’ve done, it could have been killing someone - you could kill yourself - and that’s a bad place to be.
“I knew I needed help, to save myself but also to save my family.”
Rooney also revealed that he felt he had to keep many of his problems secret as a player.
“Ten, 15 years ago, I couldn’t go into a dressing room and say ‘I’m struggling with alcohol, I’m struggling mental health-wise’. I couldn’t do that.”
Rooney admits in one scene that he “wasn’t the nicest kid” as a teenager. He openly talks about getting involved in a lot of violence.
“We used to go up to Southport and fight a lot,” he says at one point, adding: “I’ve come back with my eye all stitched up. I was about 12.”
Rooney also describes going to concerts as a young teen and getting involved in trouble afterwards.
“I remember I got my jaw snapped in Manchester. I was about 13.”
In one scene, Rooney describes an embarrassing incident while he was with Everton’s academy.
“There was one day I was crossing the road with a bottle of cider. My coach Colin Harvey, he stopped to let me cross over. Next day, he pulled me in in training and said, ‘listen, you’ve got the biggest talent I’ve ever seen for anyone your age - don’t waste it’.”
At 16, Rooney was already a ferocious talent with the body of a man. He talks in the film about knowing he was the best player in training, even then. On 19 October 2002, he announced himself to the rest of the world. (BBC Sport)