Wayne Rooney stuns Rio Ferdinand as he opens up on insecurities with body image

Rooney told former England and Manchester United team-mate Ferdinand that he would not take his top off over his insecurities with his body image

Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has revealed he is “insecure” about his weight and struggled with his body image during his playing career.

Rooney, 39, told former team-mate Rio Ferdinand that he would not take his top off “even when I was the best shape as a football player” and said he felt self-conscious even though he was “strong and powerful”.

“I’m actually very insecure about a number of things. I have been my whole career over my weight, over how I look,” United’s all-time record goalscorer said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

Rooney is United’s all-time leading scorer and retired from playing in 2021 (Action Images/Reuters)

“Even when I was in the best shape I was in as a football player, I wouldn’t take my top off. I was strong, I was powerful. I never had abs but I was powerful - the best body you need to be a footballer.”

Ferdinand was surprised to hear Rooney’s struggles with his body image and said it “never occurred to me” that his team-mate was hiding how he looked. “Until now I never would have said that,” Ferdinand replied.

“You are in a bubble,” Rooney said. “You’re meant to be this macho guy who is going and playing football and being successful. But a lot of the time, you are vulnerable.”

Rooney also told Ferdinand he believes he would be “dead” without his wife Coleen Rooney helping him through dark times and his problems with alcohol.

Rooney told Ferdinand that his drinking would often go “too far” and revealed he once turned up to training at United after binging for “two days straight”.

"It got to a point where I went too far, of course it did,” Rooney said. He revealed he was "struggling massively" with his drinking during his playing career.

:: Listen to the full Rio Meets Wayne Rooney interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.