Wayne Rooney Slams Manchester United as ‘Players Not Deserving to Wear the Shirt’
Wayne Rooney is not holding back. The Manchester United legend, who remains the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, has launched a furious attack on the state of his former team. From underperforming players to an absent ownership group and a manager who is under fire, Rooney says what many United fans are already thinking: this is not Manchester United.
Rooney’s Brutal Assessment of Manchester United
Rooney spent 13 glittering years at Old Trafford, scoring 253 goals in 559 appearances and winning 16 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League. Few people know what it means to wear the famous red shirt better than him — which is why his words carry so much weight.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show podcast, the 38-year-old icon delivered a blistering monologue:
“What is going on at Man United? This is not Man United. I don’t recognise the whole football club. I don’t see players fighting, I don’t see character, I don’t see desire to win. I don’t see ability, I don’t see match-winners. Nothing gets me off my feet. I go to a game watching, expecting the team to lose or maybe pick up a point.”
Rooney’s frustration is not just with manager Ruben Amorim — although the Portuguese tactician is under heavy scrutiny after picking up only 18 wins from 49 games. The former striker went on to lay the blame squarely at the feet of the players and the club’s ownership.
“This is not all on the manager, by the way. I’m seeing players not deserving to wear the shirt. And it hurts. There needs to be a clear message from the owners. Whether that is the Glazers or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, there has to be a message of where this club is going. At the minute we are all sitting there waiting for it to crumble.”
United in Turmoil: A Club Drifting Off Course
Manchester United’s decline has been a slow, painful process since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, but Rooney believes the current situation represents a new low. The club finished 15th last season, missed out on European football, and are now 14th in the table after six games in the 2025-26 campaign.
Amorim, known for his innovative 3-4-3 formation during his time at Sporting CP, has been accused of sticking stubbornly to his system despite it not fitting the squad at Old Trafford. Recruitment has also been questionable, with hundreds of millions spent over multiple transfer windows with very little to show for it.
Rooney fears that United, once the standard-bearers for English football, are now heading backward:
“The culture of that football club has gone. The soul has gone from the club. It needs a new engine, a new lease of life. It needs something to kickstart that football club. I am not seeing anything which is giving me any confidence.”
Concern for the Future – and His Own Sons
Rooney’s words hit even harder when he referenced his personal connection to the club beyond his own playing career. His eldest son, Kai, is currently part of United’s academy system, and Wayne admitted he worries about the impact of the current chaos on the next generation.
“I’ve got two kids at that football club and I really hope this doesn’t affect what they’re doing. What I’m seeing at that football club is not Manchester United. There needs to be big changes in my opinion — manager, players, whatever it is. Whatever it takes to get Manchester United back.”
The former striker also took aim at the ongoing job cuts behind the scenes, which have seen United’s staff numbers slashed from 1,100 to around 700 since Ineos purchased a 27.7% stake in February 2024.
“We’re seeing staff members getting sacked after 20, 30 years who are very important people to that football club. I see staff losing jobs, people walking out of jobs. It all adds up — the whole atmosphere feels wrong.”
Rooney Sympathises With Amorim – But Has No Faith
Interestingly, Rooney was careful not to make Amorim the sole scapegoat for United’s crisis. As someone who has tried his hand at management with Birmingham City and Plymouth, he knows just how difficult the job can be.
“Ruben Amorim is my age, he is still a young manager and I’m sure he still has a massive future. But if you’re asking me, ‘do you believe he will turn it around at Man United?’, then honestly, I’ve got no faith in it after what I’ve seen.”
Rooney acknowledged the pressures Amorim is facing, but his comments suggest that a managerial change might not be enough — the problems are structural, deep-rooted, and cultural.
What Next for Manchester United?
The big question now is: where does United go from here? Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are working behind the scenes to modernise the club, including plans for a new £2 billion stadium. Transfer funds continue to be made available, but so far the on-pitch product has not matched the financial investment.
With a restless fanbase, an under-pressure manager, and a playing squad accused of lacking character, United find themselves in a defining moment. Rooney’s words, blunt and emotional as they are, may end up being a rallying cry — or they could simply be a reflection of how far the club has fallen.
Whatever the case, one thing is clear: Rooney’s call-out is not just the complaint of a retired player looking for headlines. It’s the alarm bell ringing loud and clear over Old Trafford. Manchester United, once feared across Europe, now face the very real risk of becoming a club adrift — unless those in charge make bold, decisive moves to restore its identity.
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