Former Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney has opened up about the most difficult challenge a footballer faces: accepting when they are no longer at their best. Speaking on his new BBC show, Rooney reflected on his own departure from United in 2017 and drew parallels with Mohamed Salah's impending exit from Liverpool.
"The hardest thing for a player is to understand you may be not at the level you were," Rooney said.
Rooney made the move back to Everton at age 31 after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arrival limited his playing time. He admitted he knew it was time to go. Now, he sees a similar situation unfolding at Liverpool, where Salah—a legendary figure with two Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy—is set to leave after nine years. This season, Salah has struggled to maintain his usual high standards, with only seven league goals and six assists, and is on track for his first campaign without double-digit goals.
"I said this since the start of the season, age gets to us all and your legs go. I think that's happened to Salah this season," Rooney added.
Rooney also noted that Virgil van Dijk has not been at his best, and that the absence of strong leadership from veteran players can make it harder for younger teammates to step up. While Rooney doesn't expect Van Dijk to leave, he cautioned that staying too long can be detrimental.
In a lighter moment, Rooney admitted he would have loved to play under Jurgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager who led the club to unprecedented success. "Klopp was the only Liverpool manager I've looked at and would've loved to play for him—not for Liverpool, obviously," he joked.
Watch 'The Wayne Rooney Show' on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds.