Wayne Rooney

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed his admiration for former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney and hinted he'd be happy to play with him again in the future.

The pair have not played together since Ronaldo left United for Real Madrid in 2009, but it's clear he still holds a great deal of affection for the Englishman, who now plays for MLS side D.C. United.

Ronaldo told Goalhanger films (h/t the Mirror's Andrew Gilpin):

"For me the power of Wayne Rooney is his mentality and strength. He never stops, he always runs, helps the team. He's a fantastic team player and he scores goals. He scored important goals, for me he's fantastic.

"He was the kid of England. Everyone loved him. He is a fantastic boy, fantastic player.

"I used to call him, between me and my mates, the pit bull. I remember when he lost the ball he was so powerful, a strong guy, he shoots unbelievable.

"He scored many goals, what can I say? I miss playing with him. The future nobody knows. Maybe we'll play one day together again."

The pair played together at Old Trafford for five years and formed a potent partnership along the way. During their time together, Ronaldo scored 112 goals, while Rooney netted 97.

Their efforts were key to the Red Devils winning three Premier League titles, the UEFAChampions League and three League Cups in that period, among other honours.

Football writer Jordan Clarke misses those days:

https://twitter.com/FourFourJordan/status/1038126735542444035

Indeed, United's current struggles in the final third mark a far cry from Rooney and Ronaldo terrorising defences on a weekly basis, as ESPN's Mark Ogden noted:

Last time @ManUtd won the Champions League, they had Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez up-front. Lots of issues to address, but compare that three to the current strike-force and it’s one reason why they are currently nowhere near a CL winning team.

— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) October 23, 2018

Rooney was an ideal partner for the Portugal hitman, thanks to his tireless work ethic and willingness to selflessly sacrifice himself in order to give Ronaldo a platform on which to shine.

Ronaldo then joined Real in 2009 and scored 450 goals in nine years, winning two La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues. Meanwhile, Rooney went on to become United's all-time top scorer and won two more Premier League titles, another League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League.

Their careers have taken significantly different trajectories of late, though, per Bleacher Report's Sam Pilger:

Cristiano Ronaldo is 33 and has just signed for Juventus for €100 million after scoring 4 goals in the World Cup. Wayne Rooney is 32 and has just made his debut for D.C. United after a free transfer...

— Sam Pilger (@sampilger) July 15, 2018

Despite his age, Ronaldo has remained at the top of the game while Rooney has noticeably declined in recent years.

The latter rejoined boyhood club Everton in 2017, but he stayed for just a year before moving to MLS.

Rooney has enjoyed a stateside revival, though. He contributed 12 goals and seven assists in 20 games to transform the fortunes of D.C. United—who were lingering near the bottom of the Eastern Conference when he arrived—to take them to the play-offs, though they subsequently lost in the first round to the Columbus Crew.

Rooney's time in Europe seems to be over, but if Ronaldo were to make a move to MLS late in his career, the pair might be able to recapture some of their old magic.

D.C. United and former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney will come out of international retirement to make one more appearance for England, a farewell performance against the United States at Wembley.

The Three Lions confirmed the news via Twitter:

We're proud to announce that our upcoming game against the USA will support @FoundationWR, with @WayneRooney set to join the #ThreeLions squad for the match: https://t.co/Yz85XR2fRR

— England (@England) November 4, 2018

According to BBC Sport's Simon Stone the 33-year-old hasn't played for the Three Lions since November 2016. England and USA are scheduled to meet on November 15.

Rooney would earn his 120th cap for England if he faced the Stars and Stripes. Proceeds of the match are set to be donated to the Wayne Rooney Foundation, and the WembleyArch will even be lit in the colours of the charity, per Stone.

There's some confusion over whether or not the team's record scorer will wear the captain's armband. The Mirror's John Cross doesn't believe so and wasn't a fan of the return to begin with:

I really like Rooney, terrific career, nice to get a farewell but don’t agree with it. It’s a friendly but people can never tell us again that it’s wrong to call friendlies meaningless if someone can get a late swansong...

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) November 4, 2018

The Sun's Mike McGrath reported he will be the skipper, however.

The plan to have Rooney return for a one-off performance created division in the BBC 5 Live studio:

"Wayne Rooney did not get a proper England send-off"@akeemojuko says the England top goal scorer deserves to play one last game, but @benhainess disagrees...

💻 Watch - https://t.co/zRWLSBZHQX

📻 Listen - https://t.co/9eC466QFki#TheSquad pic.twitter.com/Zfslh8wHqi

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) November 4, 2018

It's worth pointing out Rooney has been in excellent form since making the switch to MLS, with 12 goals in 20 appearances for DC United. He's also contributed seven assists, making him one of England's most prolific forwards this season.

Harry Kane is the unquestioned top option up front for the Three Lions, but his regular back-ups include Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck and Jamie Vardy. None of those three have passed the five-goal mark in the Premier League this year.

Rooney was a regular part of the national team setup until the disappointing Euro 2016 tournament and told reporters he planned on retiring after the 2018 World Cup shortly after, per the Press Association (for the Guardian).

New manager Gareth Southgate didn't call him up after a match against Scotland in November of that year, however, and in the summer of 2017, Rooney announced his retirement, per BBC Sport. 

A youthful English side surpassed expectations this year by making it to the semi-finals of the World Cup, eventually claiming fourth place. 

Rooney's 53 goals are most in national team history, four more than the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton.

DC United forward Wayne Rooney reportedly doesn't want to return to European football on a short-term loan following his team's elimination from the Major League Soccer playoffs on Thursday night.

Rooney missed a penalty in DC's shootout loss to Columbus Crew, bringing the curtain down on his debut season in the United States.

In the past, some high-profile players have made switches to European teams at the end of the MLS campaign, including David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane. However, according to Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail, that's not something Rooney is looking at.

"[When] he signed for the American club in the summer, Rooney said he was not interested in playing for anyone else while under contract there, a stance he has reiterated," said Keegan." Sources close to the player have told Sportsmail that remains the case and that Rooney, who signed a multi-year deal, will use the time off to rest and embrace life on the other side of the Atlantic."

The 33-year-old posted the following message on social media after his team's chances of MLS Cup glory were dashed: 

Disappointing result last night but there’s a lot of positives to build on for next year. Just want to thank all the fans and everybody at @dcunited for your support and making me and my family feel so welcome. Looking forward to next season already👍🏼👏🏼⚫️🔴 #DCU pic.twitter.com/EfJ8p9z8b6

— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) November 2, 2018

Rooney spoke about a potential short-term deal to ESPN FC last month:

“I’m committed to D.C., and I don’t think it’d be right for me to start flying back and forth to play on loan for another team.”

Wayne Rooney shuts down potential loan this winter. Full interview today on @ESPNFC. We talk #DCU, #ThreeLions, #MUFC. And there MIGHT be an apology. pic.twitter.com/MWsR69h2lO

— Sebastian Salazar (@SebiSalazarFUT) October 26, 2018

After ending a 13-year spell at Manchester United and returning to Everton in 2017, Rooney spent a year back with his boyhood club.

While he finished as the team's top scorer in the 2017-18 season, he was allowed to move on ahead of the current campaign by new Toffees boss Marco Silva. DC United were bottom of the table when the forward arrived, but his 12 goals and six assists saw them make a late run for the playoffs.

Podcaster Nipun Chopra believes Rooney surpassed expectations in his debut term in the capital:

https://twitter.com/NipunChopra7/status/1058190697990381568

On that evidence, and his performances at times for Everton last season, some would say Rooney still has what it takes to make an impact back in one of Europe's top five leagues.

His experience would certainly be invaluable for a lot of squads. Rooney is England's and Manchester United's all-time top goalscorer, as well as a five-time Premier League champion and UEFA Champions League winner.

Rooney may not have the same energy in his legs as he did in his younger days, but he's still capable of moments like this:

Wayne Rooney nominated for @MLS MVP. 12 goals and six assists in 19 games. But he probably got the nod for this alone 🔥🔥: pic.twitter.com/j2wdJAvf6Q

— STATSports (@statsports) October 31, 2018

At this stage of his career, some recuperation for Rooney is vital, especially given he has had to adapt to a new league and different challenges posed by playing in MLS.

The former United man has quickly become an inspirational figure for his new team, and after their brilliant end to the campaign, he will hope to be part of a much more competitive outfit on a consistent basis next season.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has said the players need to show more to relieve some of the pressure on manager Jose Mourinho. 

The Red Devils have had an inconsistent beginning to the campaign and sit in eighth place in the Premier League table, nine points behind leaders Manchester City after 10 games. The early-season form prompted questions about Mourinho's future at the club.

Speaking about United in 2018-19, Rooney said he wants to see the players up their level to make things easier for their manager, per BBC Sport (h/t Alex Young of the Evening Standard).

"Obviously they are going through a difficult period at the minute, but Mourinho is very experienced and I think some players have to do a little bit better," he said. "Hopefully they can turn their form around, win a few more games and keep the pressure on the top of the table and get back up there, which is where we all want to see them." 

The forward also said he has never been aware of a player downing tools. "In my experience, I have never seen or heard of a player not wanting to play in the game because they have had a falling out with the manager," he said.

"I don't think as a player you could do that, you've got to respect the club and the fans and also respect your team-mates. I don't think any player, certainly at Manchester United, will be not playing for Jose, I'm sure they're all working hard behind the scenes to get results."

Rooney left United in the summer of 2017 after spending 13 years at the club. In that time he became the Red Devils' all-time record goalscorer, won the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League on five occasions too.

Rooney will have been a little more content with what he has seen in recent outings from his former team, especially in the Premier League after taking seven points from a possible nine. James Robson of the Evening Standard said the club are ready to back their under-pressure manager too:

In a show of support for Mourinho #mufc will give him significant input into the appointment of a director of football/technical director.
They will not force him to work with someone he doesn't want to, which could, of course, make it very difficult to appoint anyone at all

— James Robson (@jamesalanrobson) October 30, 2018

Per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, it's clear Mourinho is still fully invested in this set of players:

Mourinho was celebrating Martial running back then. And then celebrated Shaw's block. #mufc

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) October 28, 2018

With that in mind it's imperative the squad shows more, and while Rooney called on experienced figures to make their mark, it's one of the younger members of the squad who has been a talisman recently in Anthony Martial.

The 22-year-old Frenchman has scored four times in his last three Premier League games, including what turned out to be an exceptional winner in the 2-1 victory over Everton on Sunday. 

Per Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, in terms of goals and assists, his output is up there with some of the biggest names in the Premier League:

What does Anthony Martial do well and what must he improve to go to the next level? @GNev2 dissected the @ManUtd man on #MNF: https://t.co/SsoakASppo pic.twitter.com/fnR1BdKyvZ

— Sky Sports Retro (@SkySportsRetro) October 30, 2018

Although there's still a long way to go for United to be considered alongside some of the best teams in the division, they do steadily seem to be pulling themselves out of their lull. Mourinho will hope the confidence accrued from the performances against Newcastle United, Chelsea and the Toffees can continue to fuel the revival.

Rooney will be watching on from the United States, where he is currently playing his football for DC United. They face Columbus Crew in their first Major League Soccer 2018 playoff encounter on Friday.

D.C. United forward Wayne Rooney has said he doesn't plan to follow in the footsteps of other football veterans by moving back to Europe on loan in January and that he plans to remain in Major League Soccer.

The Manchester United legend told ESPN FC's Sebastian Salazar he wants "to give everything" to his employers and plans to stay in the United States to be with his family:

“I’m committed to D.C., and I don’t think it’d be right for me to start flying back and forth to play on loan for another team.”

Wayne Rooney shuts down potential loan this winter. Full interview today on @ESPNFC. We talk #DCU, #ThreeLions, #MUFC. And there MIGHT be an apology. pic.twitter.com/MWsR69h2lO

— Sebastian Salazar (@SebiSalazarFUT) October 26, 2018

Rooney, who turned 33 on Wednesday, made 676 combined appearances for the Red Devils and boyhood club Everton, whom he rejoined for the 2017-18 campaign. He left for Washington in June and signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with D.C.

His injection of match-winning quality has helped lift United back into the MLS play-offs after they missed out last year, and he scored 12 goals and recorded six assists in 19 league appearances for his new outfit.

Rooney also spoke to Salazar of his refusal to be wooed with preferential treatment upon arriving at the club and how he instead wanted parity with his team-mates:

Wayne Rooney is a good lad 👌 pic.twitter.com/RWWZppYPa4

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 26, 2018

D.C. United accumulated 14 points in 14 games this season prior to Rooney's arrival. In the 20 league games since his July introduction, the club has racked up 36 points for a much-improved 1.8 points-per-game average.

In fact, the team has improved in all areas since the former England captain made his bow. 

The Black and Red scored 35 times in 20 games following Rooney's debut for a small increase in their goals-per-game ratio, but the club has also more than halved its goals-against rate since he was added to the squad.

D.C. have leaked 20 goals in MLS since July 15 (one per game) and kept four clean sheets in that time. They only managed one clean sheet in the 14 league outings pre-Rooney and conceded 29 times, an average of 2.07 goals conceded per game.

Fox Sports pundit Alexi Lalas rallied against those who suggest venturing to Major League Soccer is little more than a pension scheme for aged greats of the sport:

Oldies but goodies! Zlatan and Rooney have done anything but hurt MLS by finishing their careers here.

Subscribe to @AlexiLalas' State of the Union Pod: https://t.co/vPwurc6a6B pic.twitter.com/usqXE4PqSd

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 26, 2018

It's hard to argue against that logic. Rooney has said he will spend Christmas with his family in England but appears to have found a new lease of life in Washington.

The malleable maestro is content to stick around where he could help D.C. to their first MLS Cup crown since 2004, the year he moved to Manchester.

Nothing less is to be expected of England's record goalscorer, who spent 13 years at Old Trafford before returning to Merseyside, having now set up new roots in the United States.

Lyon forward and former Manchester United man Memphis Depay has talked about his exit from the club and relationship with Wayne Rooney ahead of his team's clash with Manchester City on Wednesday.

The Dutch international returned to Manchester for the UEFA Champions League Group F meeting and took the opportunity to talk about his time with the Red Devils.

Per Zinny Boswell of Sky Sports, he said his stint with United was "not successful," but he stated Manchester is "still red":

"Everybody knows the story of me and Manchester United was not successful and I'm just happy that I'm the player I am today.

"I can look back and say I didn't want it to go like that—nobody wanted that—things happened and I became a much better player. I can feel it in the games, I mean everybody can see it I think as well.

"After one season, I couldn't find myself in the team. I was still young, didn't get a lot of opportunities, but I must say that the first season I didn't put the quality on the table that I thought.

"I believe for sure that the city is still red and tomorrow I'll be trying to get a good result against the Blues."

As Boswell noted, Rooney recently said Depay ignored some key advice he gave the winger during his time at Old Trafford, including an anecdote about a red leather jacket.

That last part left Depay confused:

"Some people can't take a joke and me and Wayne are very good friends. I understand what he meant with it and that's it.

"When I heard about it, I was just questioning it like, 'I don't have a red leather jacket,' of all my thousands of jackets I don't have a red leather jacket.

"It's in the past and I'm a flamboyant guy and like nice stuff but that doesn't mean I couldn't be more smart. I've become more mature."

The 24-year-old moved to Old Trafford in 2015 after a sensational season with PSV but never lived up to the massive hype in England. By 2017 he was in dire need of a fresh start and joined Lyon.

The Dutchman has rediscovered the form that made him such a wanted prospect and scored an impressive 19 goals in Ligue 1 last season. Here are those goals:

Plenty of fans have blamed former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal for Depay's struggles. The two worked together with the national team before Van Gaal brought Depay to Old Trafford, but he never got the most out of him once the move went through.

Per Dutch Football, Depay confirmed there were issues between the two:

Memphis Depay hasn't spoken to Louis van Gaal since their time at Man Utd, "Certain things that happened I don't want to say now in public, I don't feel like it matters any more because... maybe when I write a book some day I will speak about it but for the moment, no." pic.twitter.com/bGEUWGAWFa

— Dutch Football 🇳🇱 (@FootballOranje_) September 19, 2018

While there have been persistent reports of a buyback clause, Sport Witness' Tom Coastexplained how that's impossible, as Ligue 1 doesn't allow such clauses. 

That doesn't mean Depay could not return to Old Trafford, however. Per Coast, there could be some sort of "gentlemen's agreement" or a first option on the player in case of a sale.

Depay's comments indicate he still has affection for the club, although the story of the two seems finished at this point. He could be in line for a big transfer if he keeps up his good form, however, and has started the 2018-19 season in good form.

A strong showing against the Premier League champions would improve his chances of earning a top transfer.

Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has backed Jose Mourinho amid a tricky start to the 2018-19 Premier League season for the Red Devils.

United lost 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, and Mourinho has come under pressure. But Rooney, who recently joined MLS outfit D.C. United, believes the Portuguese manager still has the ability to mastermind a title push.

"They have the quality, they just have to keep pushing," Rooney said, per CNN Sport's Patrick Snell. "Mourinho knows what he's doing and knows how to win titles. I'm sure with the quality of players he will have a game plan to push for the title."

Rooney, 32, played under Mourinho in the 2016-17 season before returning to boyhood club Everton last summer.

Under the former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss, Rooney added a third League Cup and first UEFA Europa League title to his considerable trophy haul.

United only finished sixth in 2016-17, Mourinho's debut season at Old Trafford, but they improved to second last term while winning no trophies.

They did not challenge for the title, though, finishing 19 points back from champions Manchester City.

A miserable pre-season and frustrating summer transfer window—Mourinho wanted a centre-back that he didn't get—made for poor preparation for the 2018-19 campaign.

United then beat Leicester City in their season opener before being undone by Brighton, and Mourinho recently had to deny a rift with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward:

Jose Mourinho says he has no problems with Ed Woodward. Admits it has been a 'difficult week' after Brighton defeat. #mufc

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) August 24, 2018

The Red Devils now face a tough fixture on Monday against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

Anything other than a victory and United will fall off the early pace set by Liverpool, Chelsea and Watford, who have won three from three, as well as pile more pressure on Mourinho.

In the span of about 10 seconds, Wayne Rooney turned a potential loss into a win for DC United on Sunday against Orlando City SC.

The English star prevented an open-net goal in the 96th minute of the match before sending a perfect cross to Luciano Acosta for the game-winning score:

ARE YOU KIDDING US, @WayneRooney????? AMAZING!!!!! #DCvORL https://t.co/Iys5sJBDOs

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 13, 2018

Acosta finished with a hat trick in the 3-2 victory, but Rooney transformed the match with his play on both ends of the field.

The 32-year-old transferred to DC United in July after a legendary career in the English Premier League. While this was just his sixth match with his new team, he has already showed what kind of impact he can make in the MLS.   

DC United have only five wins in 20 matches all season, but three have come since Rooney joined the club.

Freed from their shackles and no longer held back by past failures. For England and Sweden, this fascinating World Cup journey has been a long time coming.

It is two years since Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from international football and nine months since Gareth Southgate dropped Wayne Rooney and signalled his intention to move into a new era.

Now, as the two nations compete in Samara, Russia, on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the two superstars are little more than a distant memory—marooned thousands of miles away in America's MLS.

And without the constant questions over Rooney and Ibrahimovic, new life appears to have been breathed into each camp.

#eng⁠ ⁠ - #swe. No more Rooney vs Zlatan. No more #ThreeLions⁠⁠ vs the Lion 🦁. #worldcup⁠ ⁠

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) July 3, 2018

"The team do play a lot better now than they did two years ago", journalist Noa Bachner of newspaper Expressen told Bleacher Report. "But whether or not that is because of Zlatan not being there is becoming the most tiresome question we know in Sweden, I think."

The Swedish people may be bored of the outside world wondering how they have managed to move on from greatest player they have ever produced. But it seems to have worked well for them.

He quit the national team after Euro 2016, and while there was some talk over a potential return for this tournament, any hope was put to bed when the selectors announced in April that a comeback would not be happening.

Since he has not been involved, Sweden have been showing great progress. They finished ahead of the Netherlands in their qualifying group, and they then beat Italy in a play-off to reach Russia. They are now two wins away from a place in the World Cup final, and the closest Ibrahimovic has been to this tournament was a brief visit as a special guest. Right now, he is back in America playing for LA Galaxy.

Ahead of the tournament Expressen ran a poll to ask readers whether they thought the team would be better off with or without Ibrahimovic.

Results showed that 33 per cent said better, 30 per cent thought worse, 31 per cent voted no different and the remainder could not decide.

Given that Sweden are enjoying their best run since 1954, it's probably fair to say they are doing just fine without him. 

Swedish football expert Gunnar Persson has been writing about the game for almost 40 years and he told B/R: "The team spirit has been rebuilt, and that is something that the Swedish side always was famous for. Everybody involved seems happier, and the manager Janne Andersson is what you might call 'a real football man' with lots of common sense. There is no anxiety among the players, just the will to perform well."

Persson is one of the journalists who has not been missing Ibra.

"He became too big, too important," he said. "The team had no tactics, just the intimidating presence of Zlatan. Every attack had to go through him. I, personally, dreaded when he was discontent with his supporting cast and started coming back to collect the ball. At that point there was no one else up front, so he basically had to do it all by himself. You can't act like that, not on any serious level of play."

England's story with Rooney has not been too dissimilar.

The country's greatest goalscorer of all time, his long road to the wilderness began before the last World Cup.

Roy Hodgson was under pressure to leave him out of the side following a spell of poor form at Manchester United but ended up squeezing him into the starting lineup on the left wing. There was a similar situation at Euro 2016. This time Hodgson had seemed more willing to leave him out of the side, but Rooney began England's opening match against Russia as a central midfielder.

It was Southgate who brought about the end of Rooney's international career, making a statement as he axed the captain for a game against Slovenia after becoming manager last year.

"I definitely didn't expect the manager to drop Wayne" said Three Lions defender Danny Rose ahead of this tournament.

"As soon as we all saw that we knew the gaffer was not somebody to be messed around with because he's dropped arguably one of the best England players ever and the top goalscorer as well. We've all had to move on from that."

Insiders from Hodgson's England days insist that Rooney was a good influence on the rest of the squad.

"He was great whenever there was a meet-up," a source told B/R. "He doesn't have much of an ego, and, actually, he was a great help for the younger players within the group. The storylines around him and constant questioning over whether he deserved to be in the side seemed to be a bigger issue for those outside of the team than in it."

Hodgson admitted as much all along, and in one interview back in 2014 he told me: "It's a bit sad that some people are so Wayne Rooney obsessed."

Yet now, with him out of the picture and plying his trade at D.C United, perhaps there is a new lease of life about the squad. All the talk across England is that this could be their time to win the trophy for the first time since 1966.

Had this dream last night that England won a penalty shootout. Seemed so real.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 4, 2018

The memes around football coming home from the Three Lions song have added a depth of fun to England's campaign, but there is also a genuine growing belief that this team could be on the verge of something special.

A younger squad, many without the nightmares of past tournaments gone wrong, are showing a bond and togetherness that seems to be making up for a lack of elite talent. Harry Kane is the outstanding member, the only man truly worthy of being considered as a superstar of any sort, and boss Southgate has installed belief.

"All the bad memories that most of us have in terms of England in major tournaments just don't seem to bother this group of players," said Daily Mail's England correspondent Sami Mokbel. "Their approach has been great, so relaxed and media-friendly. Everyone seems happy, and their togetherness has shone through both on the pitch and back at their training base.

"It also helps that we don't seem to have a scapegoat. We don't seem to be looking to blame one person. Maybe Wayne Rooney was the last player attached to that golden era that failed to live up to the hype, and now that he is not part of things, there is a new beginning."

While England fans continue with their belief that football's coming home, the Swedes have their own ambition and dream. They too recognise that a path like this one leading to the World Cup final is rare.

"We don't really have the mythical, almost spiritual, narrative of the trophy 'returning to it's homeland,' but we do look at the fixtures coming up in the same way, and see the opposition as realistically beatable—even though we don't consider ourselves favourites," explained Expressen writer Bachner.

"However, with England and Croatia/Russia separating us from a final, there is a sober understanding that they are not better teams than the ones we've overcome to get here—such as France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Mexico and Switzerland.

"I'm in Russia, so I haven't seen the reactions of people in the streets in Stockholm or Gothenburg or wherever, but the general sense is that there is an escalating World Cup fever happening. The team has won the hearts and minds of the Swedish people with their performances over the past two years. I think that was won long before they got to Russia but is even more true now."

Argentina are counting the cost of relying on their superstar Lionel Messi at this World Cup. Sweden and England are showing how there can be a bright future without the all-time greats.   

DC United confirmed on Thursday they have agreed a deal with Everton to sign Wayne Rooney.

The transfer was made official via United's Twitter account:

#NoWayneNoGain pic.twitter.com/HfbLmCsBOq

— D.C. United (@dcunited) June 28, 2018

Per football writer Kristan Heneage, United confirmed the deal was for three-and-a-half years. Rooney is scheduled to make his debut on July 14 against Vancouver Whitecaps, the first at the brand new Audi Field venue.

According to Rick Maese and Steven Goff of the Washington Post, Rooney will earn a salary of $13 million (£10 million) with his new club.

Per MLS' official website, Rooney expressed his delight at joining his new club:

"It is fantastic to be joining D.C. United at such an exciting time in the club's history with the new stadium opening in just a few weeks. Moving to America and MLS fulfills another career ambition for me. I have the hunger to be a success here and will give D.C. 100 percent—as I have always done for every team I have ever played for.

"When I visited earlier this summer, I was really impressed with everyone I met connected with the club, and of course the new Audi Field. Now I can't wait to get on the pitch in a United shirt and join my new team-mates to bring success to this club."

The club's managing general partner and CEO Jason Levien also weighed in on the move:

"This is a seminal moment for our fans and organization. Wayne is a global soccer icon and his presence at D.C. United will elevate our product on the pitch and soccer as a whole in our city and in this country. Wayne has thrived when competing at the most elite levels of soccer and we're thrilled to have his leadership as we enter this new era at Audi Field."

The transfer brings an end to Rooney's second spell with his boyhood club. The 32-year-old joined Everton in the summer of 2017 from Manchester United.

In the 2017-18 campaign, Rooney, who is the Red Devils' and England's all-time record goalscorer, finished as the Toffees' top scorer in the Premier League with 10 goals and had some moments to remember. He scored on his second debut against Stoke City, while also netting against Manchester City and Liverpool.

Tony Scott of the Liverpool Echo summed up the impact the former Manchester United man had on the team last term:

EFC stats 17/18
Wayne Rooney EFC Team ranking-

1st - Goals scored (10 goals from 27 starts)
2nd - Chances created (Sigurdsson 1st)
1st - Shots
1st - Shots on target
2nd - Key passes per game (Sigurdsson 1st)
1st - Goals involved in.

EFC failed to win a PL match without Rooney

— Tony Scott (@Tony_Scott11) May 10, 2018

However, most of the good work done by Rooney came in the first half of the campaign, and following the midseason appointment of Sam Allardyce, he was dropped into a deeper role.

While there were times when Rooney performed well in a midfield position, in the main he appeared laboured and was wasteful in possession. He didn't create or score another goal for Everton from December and was given the runaround by energetic opposition at times.

Statistician Paul Carr broke down the good and bad aspects of Rooney's game during his one year back at Goodison Park:

Rooney good: 1 of 15 players with 10+ goals and 35+ chances created this PL season

Rooney not-so-good: 0.16 xG per 90 this PL season (excluding penalties), 19th among the 20 players with 10+ PL goals

— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) May 10, 2018

With Everton seeking to go in a different direction under new manager Marco Silva, an exit appears to suit both parties. The high-intensity, expansive style of football the Portuguese likes his teams to play isn't tailored to the strengths of Rooney.

The United and England legend will no doubt be looking forward to a fresh challenge in Washington, though as Paul Hirst of The Times noted, it's unlikely to be a glamorous venture to the United States to begin with:

DC United are bottom of the Eastern Conference, they recently played to a crowd of just 3,118 people, and they haven't won the MLS Cup in 14 years, so why is Wayne Rooney joining them? Find out here (with thanks to @SoccerInsider and @ScreamingEagles) https://t.co/LsTxTu34AF

— Paul Hirst (@hirstclass) June 27, 2018

DC United have only won two of their 12 games in the 2018 Major League Soccer campaign. They've also played at least three fewer matches than the rest of the sides in the Eastern Conference, as work continues on their new stadium, Audi Field.