 "Wayne Rooney retires: Former teammates and clubs shower praise on England's highest goal-scorer")
London: England’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday. Here are some of the reactions to the announcement from the 31-year-old who was capped 119 times. “It is a fantastic career, sometimes he has been criticised but fact is fact, the games he has played and goals he has scored. If I was the manager, I would try to convince him to delay it (the international retirement) until after the next World Cup.” former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who gave Rooney his debut in 2003 and for whom he shone at Euro 2004, to Sky Sports. Everton, his boyhood and the present club which gave Rooney a new lease of live also tweeted their appreciation.
👏 Congratulations on an incredible @England career! 👏https://t.co/hpBwoPwvre pic.twitter.com/7FuSSEOnWT
— Everton (@Everton) August 23, 2017
“You do know as an international player when you have reached the point of no return. Sometimes you want to jump before you are pushed. I would have loved him to have gone to Russia and led England at a fourth World Cup but he has had 13 great years and he will know in his heart and head that it makes sense to concentrate on Everton.” — former England captain Terry Butcher, capped 77 times. “He has always shown a great deal of dignity and class.” added Butcher. “Today marks the end of an era in international football. Wayne Rooney is an icon of his generation and an undoubted legend of the game. As his country’s all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped outfield player, it goes without saying that Wayne has deservedly earned the right to forever be called a Three Lions great.” — FA Chairman Greg Clarke. Rooney’s former club Manchester United also took to social media to react to the news
Well done on a record-breaking @England career, @WayneRooney! https://t.co/H07zmCIdJm
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 23, 2017
Former England great and ex-Everton player Gary Lineker tweeted,
England's highest ever goalscorer calls it a day. Congratulations to @WayneRooney on a magnificent international career. A player's player.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 23, 2017
“I think only now (when) he is ducking out will he get the credit he truly deserves as an England player and the record goalscorer.” — former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith.
