We all thought Wayne Rooney’s days of actually running were behind him. Latter-day Wazza seemed content to simply straddle the half-way line, spraying out a few passes and taking long, anguished breathers. He’d earnt it.
But the new DC United captain truly rolled back the years yesterday with an incredible 96th-minute assist against Orlando City in the MLS.
With the score at 2-2, 10-man DC United’s keeper David Ousted went up for a late corner (because draws are high treason in America). But Orlando embarked on a counter-attack, and it was quickly three against one with an open goal in sight.
Except that one was Wayne Rooney, charging back like in days of yore. He slid into Will Johnson, sending him flying but cleanly winning the ball, before pinging an inch perfect cross into the box to Luciano Acosta, who completed his hat-trick with the winner.
Not one of the DC players went to celebrate with their veteran captain, which was probably a good thing considering how utterly knackered he looked in the aftermath.
"It was strange, we went from losing to winning in five seconds," said Rooney, 32 (!). "They're the best games of football to win. Of course, we should've done better against 10 men so it's something we can look to improve."
England's record goalscorer added: "To be honest, I saw it happen before we took the corner. "I normally go in the box for corners, that's why I stayed out because I tried to anticipate something like that happening. "I've seen it before in football. You just rust run as quick as you can trying to get back. I was hoping he'd take a touch and he did."
Nick Pope is the Site Director of Esquire, overseeing digital strategy for the brand.
