Wayne Rooney, the former head coach of Derby County, is poised to make a return to Manchester United by participating in Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2025.
At 39 years of age, Rooney has been serving as a pundit for BBC’s Match of the Day, but he has not held a full-time managerial position since his departure from Plymouth Argyle in December. He has also contributed to Amazon Prime’s Champions League coverage, striving to remain active following his exit from the Devon club.
Now, Rooney is anticipated to don his football boots once again for Soccer Aid this summer. His last professional appearance was for Derby in November 2020, but he is set to relive his playing days nearly five years after retiring from international duty with England, facing the Rest of the World team at Old Trafford.
The match is scheduled for Sunday, June 15, and several other former professional footballers will join Rooney on the field. Notable confirmed players include Joe Hart, Jermain Defoe, Gary Neville, Jill Scott, Toni Duggan, Leonardo Bonucci, Steph Houghton, and David James.
In addition, non-football personalities such as Alex Brooker, Louis Tomlinson, Mo Farah, Paddy McGuinness, Sam Quek, Sam Thompson, Tom Grennan, Tyson Fury, and Vicky McClure are also set to participate. Further player announcements are expected soon, with Dermot O’Leary and Alex Scott taking on hosting responsibilities.
Harry Redknapp is likely to join England’s coaching staff, having been associated with Soccer Aid for several years. The former managers of Tottenham and Portsmouth was part of a five-member management team last summer, which included ex-Derby manager Frank Lampard and Robbie Williams.
During his tenure at Pride Park, Rooney managed for nearly two years, achieving 24 victories in 85 matches before leaving following the club’s relegation to League One. He was appointed as Philip Cocu’s successor midway through the 2020/21 season and successfully kept Derby in the Championship after taking over while the team was in the relegation zone.
Rooney’s second season was marked by challenges, as Derby County faced relegation to League One for the first time since 1986. The club endured a significant 21-point deduction and a transfer embargo, which severely hindered his ability to succeed. Nevertheless, it was commendable that Rooney and Derby managed to reach the 43rd match of the season before their relegation was officially confirmed, finishing above the bottom position.
In the summer of 2022, Rooney departed from Derby as the club braced itself for the realities of League One. He briefly returned to DC United in Major League Soccer before making his way back to England in October 2023, when he was appointed as the head coach of Birmingham City in the Championship.
Rooney’s tenure at Birmingham was far from successful, culminating in his dismissal after securing only two victories in 15 matches. He subsequently took over at Plymouth in May but remained in that position for less than nine months. Overall, Rooney’s managerial career has seen him achieve a win rate of 25.3 percent.
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