Wayne Rooney (foto: Getty Images)
Wayne Rooney has revealed he is deaf in his left ear, admitting the condition affects his TV punditry after making the confession during a BBC Match of the Day behind-the-scenes feature.
Wayne Rooney has surprised fans with a deeply personal revelation. The Manchester United and England legend has admitted that he is deaf in his left ear, a condition he has never spoken about publicly before.
The 40-year-old made the confession while filming a Match of the Day behind-the-scenes segment for the BBC.
As the crew prepared his equipment, Rooney asked for the earpiece to be placed in his right ear instead of his left.
"Can I do it in this ear?" he said, pointing to his right side. "I used to close the talkback. The problem is I’m deaf in my left ear."
The admission stunned viewers, as Rooney has never previously discussed the issue. It is still unclear when or how the hearing loss developed.
However, there is a possible connection to a serious incident in 2009, when Rooney needed 45 stitches in his ear after slipping on a luxury yacht in the French Riviera.
Rooney was on the Match of the Day panel on Saturday night, where he was jokingly introduced by host Mark Chapman as "John Rooney’s brother".
His younger brother John Rooney has recently enjoyed unexpected fame after leading Macclesfield to a shock FA Cup win over Crystal Palace.
It was also a happy weekend for Wayne Rooney as his former club Manchester United beat Manchester City 2-0 in the derby at Old Trafford.
The match was United’s first under new manager Michael Carrick, and the goals came in the second half from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu.
Analyzing the first goal on air, Rooney said: "When we talk about Manchester United's DNA, this is it. Sprinting forward, we've seen so many Manchester United goals over the years exactly like this. Ball goes into Bruno, into Mbeumo, and a great finish."
He also praised Michael Carrick in glowing terms: "What a start for that man. That performance is the best I've seen from a Manchester United team in a long, long time."
"When you ask why Manchester United need ex-players back, it's because Michael Carrick knows the club, knows the culture, knows the DNA of the football club," Rooney added. "They were absolutely outstanding."
Rooney has fully embraced life as a pundit since stepping away from management. He joined Match of the Day over the summer and is believed to have signed a contract worth around £800,000 per year. He also hosts a podcast with the BBC.
His move into media followed managerial spells at Plymouth Argyle, Derby County, DC United, and Birmingham City.
He has also appeared on Amazon Prime Video for Champions League coverage and has openly admitted he is enjoying this new chapter.
Speaking to talkSPORT in June, Rooney said: "Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m enjoying it. So, that’s where I’ll be."
Now, his honest admission about his hearing problem has added a new, very human layer to the public image of one of England’s greatest-ever footballers.