Wayne Rooney has undergone plastic surgery to repair his nose, which he broke twice during his playing career. The England legend disclosed the procedure during the first episode of his new Manchester United-centric podcast, "Stick to United," co-hosted by Mark Goldbridge.
Rooney explained that he was about a week removed from the operation, which aimed to fix long-term damage. "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 said, noting that the tubes were affecting his tone of voice and causing some discomfort. "So, they've cut here (under my nostrils)... So, that's all stitched - a little bit uncomfortable."
The first instance of Rooney breaking his nose occurred while playing for Manchester United against Preston in an FA Cup clash in 2015. He recalled the incident, mentioning a "bit of a dive" he made to win a penalty. He also noted that his former teammate Marouane Fellaini broke his nose during the same match, though Rooney did not miss any subsequent games.
The second break happened during his tenure with D.C. United in July 2018. This occurred in a 2-1 victory against MLS rivals Colorado Rapids, a match where Rooney scored his first goal for the club. During the game, Colorado Rapids player Niki Jackson, having been pushed by a teammate, collided with Rooney, butting him in the nose with the back of his head. Rooney was left bloodstained on the pitch and subsequently developed a black eye as he recovered from the injury.
Rooney admitted that he had postponed surgery for the injury, opting to wait until after the World Cup before proceeding. The surgery, performed last week, went well, though he described the temporary nasal tubes as "horrible."