Wayne Rooney has gone from being one of the greatest players of his era to a new career as a pundit. Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer has made such an impression since moving into analysis that he was chosen to cover this summer’s World Cup for the BBC.
After retiring, Rooney, 40, endured unsuccessful spells as manager of Plymouth and Birmingham, leading to a turn into punditry. Since joining the BBC in 2025, he has quickly adapted to studio life. Now a familiar figure on Match of the Day, Rooney will have the chance to shine for the Beeb in his most important role yet, taking charge of preparations for the upcoming tournaments in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
But first, he will be at Wembley in preparation for Saturday’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City. Express Sport examines Rooney’s past commentary work.
Wayne Rooney cries during live broadcast
Rooney revealed his emotional side in January when he broke down in tears on the BBC following his brother John, who managed Macclesfield’s historic FA Cup victory over Crystal Palace.
John was released to Everton at the age of 12 and went on to play for Chester, Wrexham, Stockport, Oldham and Macclesfield. He took up his first managerial job with Silkman last summer and went on to lead one of the most remarkable upsets in FA Cup history.
This feeling was clearly expressed to his brother. Rooney spoke to the BBC, his voice shaking as the brothers hugged each other at the final whistle. “I actually got emotional. Seeing my brother achieve this, he hasn’t been a coach that long.
“I’m so proud of him for getting to the fourth round of the FA Cup and beating a Premier League team at Crystal Palace. He seemed calm, but I don’t know why. What he did today is really amazing. It’s really amazing.”
Wayne Rooney’s BBC salary
Rooney’s initial exploits in the punditry arena reportedly earned him a lucrative broadcast contract. According to reports, the former Everton striker has signed a two-year contract worth around £800,000 with the BBC, making him the BBC’s highest-paid football pundit at around £400,000 a year.
This impressive sum puts him just behind Match of the Day legend Alan Shearer. The Newcastle icon raked in £444,999 last year, up from £440,000, according to BBC data.
BBC bosses are understood to be keen to secure Rooney following his impressive performance at Euro 2024, where his candid and insightful comments resonated with viewers.
Over the course of his playing career, Rooney reportedly commanded more than £300,000 a week. Combined with lucrative sponsorship deals with companies such as Nike, Coca-Cola and EA Sports, his net worth is calculated at around £127 million.
