Wayne Rooney is back in MLS following days of rumors that preceded Tuesday's official announcement of the legendary Englishman returning stateside to become D.C. United's new head coach, marking a reunion with the club where he starred as a player from 2018-19.
Rooney's original stint in MLS was relatively brief, but it was an eventful one, with his much-anticipated arrival eventually delivering plenty of memorable moments on the field.
With the 36-year-old Manchester United and Everton icon now back in the fold, here's a look back at Rooney's path from his distinguished run on the pitch to manning an MLS sideline for the first time.
When Rooney's signing was officially announced by D.C. United on June 28, 2018, it marked a seminal moment in club history on multiple fronts. It delivered D.C. one of the most talented players of his generation, with a résumé few on the global stage have ever matched. His 208 goals still stand as the second-highest total in English Premier League history, with his 253 goals for Manchester United across all competitions making him the historic club's all-time leading scorer.
It also came just as the club was scheduled to open its new, state-of-the-art Audi Field, making Rooney's arrival symbolic at the dawn of a new era.
The hype around his arrival was palpable, as throngs of D.C. United supporters gathered at Dulles International Airport to greet their new superstar – a gesture Rooney would go on to acknowledge at his introductory press conference, where he also explained why he felt D.C. was the right fit for the next step in his career.
"I’ve been to a few different stadiums in the US and it seems like the right fit to bring my family," Rooney said. "Obviously with the project with D.C., I looked into the area, I’ve come over and looked around and to see it and I’ve been here before, but I wanted to see it firsthand.
"...I’ve been to places like LA and New York and it’s too hectic like London. For me I’ve never fancied living in London, I need my own space to get away from things when I need to and D.C. seemed to give me that opportunity to do that."
Even for a player of Rooney's caliber, there's never a guarantee any signing will live up to expectations. But once he took the field, it became quickly apparent Rooney was indeed a game-changing force in MLS. All told, he remained a stat sheet-stuffer over his 48-game stint in Black-and-Red, racking up 23 goals and 15 assists in just under 4,000 minutes.
But it wasn't just the raw production. Rooney frequently came through in clutch moments, delivering some of the most memorable plays in D.C. United history. Perhaps the best example was his ridiculous game-winning assist to then-teammate and now-FC Cincinnati star Luciano Acosta against Orlando City SC on Aug. 12, 2018, in one of the best individual plays you'll ever see on a soccer field.
The sequence was vintage Rooney from front to back, starting with a full-speed, 40-yard sprint that ended with a perfectly executed slide tackle to win the ball off Orlando's Will Johnson, who was all alone on a breakaway after a cleared corner kick in second-half stoppage time of a 2-2 match. After winning the ball back and dribbling into the attacking end, Rooney unleashed a scorching long ball that traveled all the way to the far post to meet the head of Acosta, who nodded home the game-winner that set off a raucous scene at Audi Field.
The play was the most memorable of Rooney's MLS career, but it was also just one example of his game-breaking traits, which saw him score an array of big goals and highlight-reel free kicks.
As quickly as it began, the original Rooney era in D.C. ended with an announcement from the club on Aug. 6, 2019 he would be departing after the season to return to England as a player-coach for then-Championship side Derby County. Family reasons were cited as the primary driving force behind the move, which saw Rooney take over for the Rams on an 18-month contract.
Rooney played out the rest of the season with D.C. and helped them successfully qualify for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, only to see the season end in disappointing fashion as the Black-and-Red bowed out 5-1 to Toronto FC in Round One at Audi Field, in a match that went to extra time before the Reds exploded for four goals in the first added period.
It was nothing but love from Rooney to the D.C. faithful upon his exit, as he spoke highly of his time with his organization and the fanbase.
"My time in Major League Soccer is something I will always be proud of," he said at the time. "The supporters in the Screaming Eagles, Barra Brava and District Ultras have made my time in America so enjoyable. While the decision to move home was a tough one, family is everything to us and we make this change to be closer to the ones we love back in England.
"The opportunity to go back home and start the next step of my career in coaching was the factor that made my mind up. I would like to thank everyone at D.C. United for the incredible support my family and I have received over my two seasons at the club.”
As it turned out, that playoff defeat to Toronto wouldn't be Rooney's last hurrah with D.C. United after all, as he'll now make his first foray into the world of MLS coaching following Tuesday's announcement of his hiring. He's taking over a club in flux after the early-season departure of Hernan Losada and with D.C. currently mired in 13th place in the Eastern Conference table (5W-10L-2D record, 17 points).
The arrival was a little more understated this time, with no mass assembling of fans or press at Dulles, but the hope is Rooney's arrival can inject some new life in a difficult season, once again putting him at the center of a new era of soccer in the District.
He ultimately spent a year-and-a-half in charge of Derby, charting his managerial career and nearly pulling off a miraculous safety job amid a 21-point deduction. But they got relegated from the Championship to League One, and Rooney departed in June.
That opened the door for Rooney's arrival on July 12, 2022 and the rekindling of a special relationship. One day, perhaps, he'll again return to England to coach – but until then, he's fully committed to the Black-and-Red's project at hand.
“I’m at the beginning of that journey,” Rooney said at his introductory presser. “I’m at a point in my managerial career where I have to put the work in, I have to put the hours in. Of course, I’m an ambitious person, one day I want to manage at the top level. And this is part of that process in terms of coming here, trying to develop this club, trying to get success here, but also develop myself as a manager.
“But also the connection I’ve got with the club, being here before, there isn’t another MLS team I would want other than D.C. United. So I am proud to be here as manager, proud to try and develop this club both on and off the field."
