Wayne Rooney will be a regular pundit on BBC Match of the Day this season and the Manchester United legend has outlined what he will bring to the iconic highlights show
Wayne Rooney has vowed to be “fair and honest” as a pundit after joining BBC Match of the Day, despite admitting he wants to see former club Manchester United “do well”. Rooney has done some punditry work since retiring from football in 2021, but his main focus has been on coaching.
However, after spells in charge of Derby County, DC United, Birmingham and Plymouth Argyle, Rooney has switched his focus to the media. The England legend will be a regular on Match of the Day this season and has also launched a new BBC podcast.
And when asked what type of pundit he will be, Rooney told BBC Sport : “I think I’m quite fair and honest really – that is the only way to be. I say this as a player, a manager, and now as a pundit – it’s the same values.
“The fans aren’t stupid. If you expect me to sit there and try and sugar-coat things which fans can see, I don’t think I should be doing it. There are some pundits out there who try and go over the top as well.
“All I can do is try and be fair with what I’m seeing and give my honest opinion. I am sure some players or managers might get annoyed with that but you have to be honest.
READ MORE: Liverpool star backed by Wayne Rooney to follow in his footsteps and rub salt in for ChelseaREAD MORE: Gary Lineker’s thoughts clear on new MOTD hosts and admits he probably won’t watch on Saturdays
” Wayne Rooney the player probably wouldn’t like Wayne Rooney the pundit, and I get that. We used to think ‘why would pundits say that?’ but when you finish playing you realise why pundits say things.
“I’ve been criticised by many pundits as a player and I was never one to phone them up and complain – it actually drove me a bit more to think, ‘next time you are speaking, you are saying good things’.
“I want to see Man Utd do well, of course I do, but I’m very good mates with Jonny Evans and I criticised him last season. If you’re speaking truthfully on what you feel then it makes it very difficult for a player to come to you and question why you’re saying things.”
Rooney’s comments come after he backed United to enjoy a major resurgence this season, having endured their worst Premier League campaign last year. “I still think they [United] need one or two more signings. But I think you can see what [Ruben] Amorim is doing,” Rooney said during a Match of the Day special edition preview.
“I think it’s looking better for Manchester United, and I think they will sneak into the top five. I hope they do, you never know.”
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
