Revealed: Why Liverpool legend left Wayne Rooney 'fuming' - with Man Utd icon forcing change in England camp

Rooney made his senior debut for the Three Lions in 2003 after bursting onto the scene at Everton, with a record-breaking transfer to Old Trafford being completed in the summer of 2004. He would go on to make history with the Red Devils and England.

The captain’s armband was passed his way with club and country, with Rooney setting the kind of standards that made him a natural fit for leadership duties. He always ensured that his focus was never diverted by matters off the field.

That included making staff at St George's Park take down a picture in his room that ruffled a few feathers. Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show podcast, the former frontman said: “We’d always have the same room. And when I first went in they had a picture of an ex-England legend or whatever, up in your room.

“So I walked in and it was Kevin Keegan, so I was fuming. There was no way I’m going to bed every night with an ex-Liverpool legend picture on my wall. So I made them take it down. They took it down anyway and I went back to my room and they put one up of myself!”

Rooney is an England legend in his own right, with 120 caps earned over the course of 15 years - placing him second on the all-time appearance list. He also plundered 53 goals, with that tally only being bettered by current skipper Harry Kane.

Rooney is now watching on as Thomas Tuchel attempts to deliver tangible success for England. Questions are being asked of his methods amid an unconvincing 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, with the Three Lions due to be back in action when travelling to Serbia on Tuesday.