Wayne Rooney has unveiled his new appearance after going under the knife.
No, don’t worry, he’s not quite gone to Katie Price extremes, but he has had a nose job.
The former professional footballer, 40, is regarded as one of his generation’s greatest players by many, a status that’s brought him trophies galore, international recognition, and an eye-watering bank balance.
But the top Manchester United goalscorer has also had his fair share of injuries – including a broken nose. Twice.
So, after the nasty break on two occasions during his career, he had surgery to correct it.
Rooney was photographed this morning alongside wife Coleen, also 40, dropping off their 16-year-old son, Kai, at Man Utd’s training complex, as he geared up for a game with the Premier League side’s Under-18s squad.
Sitting behind the wheel of his £200,000 Overfinch Range Rover and wearing black sunnies, Rooney faced forward, the results of his nose job on full display.
Rooney’s nose is now noticeably slimmer and will hopefully remedy the breathing difficulties he’s had for years.
He first spoke about getting it done a week post-op while chatting to his Stick to United podcast co-host Mark Goldbridge.
‘It’s actually really lucky I’ve got no black eyes, but I’ve still got two plastic tubes up my nose, which are coming out very soon,’ Rooney shared.
‘I can’t wait for them to come out,’ he admitted, explaining that they were changing his tone of voice.
‘So, they’ve cut here (under his nostrils)… So, that’s all stitched – a little bit uncomfortable,’ he explained of the procedure.
Rooney first broke his nose in an FA Cup game against Preston North End in 2015.
United won 3-1, with Rooney remembering the match both for his injury and going for ‘a bit of a dive’, which bagged him a penalty.
That same game, then-teammate Marouane Fellaini also broke his nose, leading to him missing the next games. Rooney did not have to.
His second break came three years later during his time with DC United during a winning game against the Colorado Rapids, which marked Rooney’s first goal after moving from Everton to the States.
Colorado player Niki Jackson was pushed by another teammate, forcing him into Rooney. As his nose went into the back of Jackson’s head, he got his second break and ended up with blood streaming down his face. Ouch.
So, he’s needed surgery for a while, but Rooney confessed to repeatedly ‘putting it off’.
He decided he’d get the op once the 2026 World Cup was over in a bid to finally repair the long-term damage.
As for the other bumps and scrapes he’s sustained over the years, Rooney suffered a bloody head injury in 2013 after Phil Jones’s boot rammed into him, forcing him out of England’s World Cup qualifiers that year.
And two years later, a gash in his head needed stapling up again on the sidelines after he clashed with City defender Vincent Kompany.
He also had various knee, hamstring, ankle, and muscle injuries and strains ahead of his retirement in January 2021.
These days, alongside his podcast hosting duties, he’s completed various managerial stints and is often seen on the BBC, dishing out his opinions – who could forget his verdict of the ‘crap’ World Cup halftime show?
Of course, he’s supporting his eldest as he follows in his footballing footsteps, too.
Teenager Kai also received his GCSE results today, which his parents were keen to celebrate.
Coleen wrote on Instagram alongside a selfie with Kai: ‘GCSE results day!! Super proud @kairooney.10 ….Great results especially with a busy schedule, all passed and a place in 6th form!! We love you 🫶🏻’
His dad reposted the pic on his Insta Story, adding a ‘well done’.
As well as Kai, the Rooneys, who married in 2008, share sons Klay, 12, who is part of Man Utd’s youth set-up, and Cass, eight, who is at Everton’s academy.