Rio backs Rooney to keep on running

PRESSURE, scrutiny and his own work ethic have left Wayne Rooney with the body of a 40-year-old, Rio Ferdinand fears.

But Rooney’s former Manchester United and England team-mate is sure that breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s goalscoring records for club and country will give him a new lease of life.

Ferdinand is getting ready to don his boots again as part of the England six-a-side team taking part in the inaugural Star Sixes event at the O2 Arena in July.

But, at 38, he feels the years have been kinder to him than they have to Rooney.

“He is 31 years old but he has probably got the mileage of a 36-year-old with what he has done in his career and the velocity that he plays at, plus the scrutiny and the pressure,” said Ferdinand. “In fact, he is probably in a 40-year-old athlete’s body.

“Most of those games he has played, especially the first 13 years, his stats showed he had probably outrun everybody in the team – as he was always telling us.

“The big thing for Wayne has been to get through that barrier of 250 goals for United. That is a lot of pressure.

“Getting there might just release a fresher Wayne Rooney. But you cannot get away from when your body is telling you one thing. Wayne is the only person who will know it is over.”

Rooney’s former United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo is still picking up accolades despite being eight months older. Ferdinand played with both.

“Cristiano had an absolute desire to be the best individual in the world,” said Ferdinand. “No two ways about it, no grey areas. ‘I will become the best, through preparation, determination, single-mindedness and desire’.

“Wayne Rooney would always say, ‘I want to be the best player in the world but I will do it by being a team player’. His first thought always was that he would sacrifice his game for the team.”

TICKETS for the Star Sixes tournament go on sale tomorrow (January 27) at 9am at: www.theo2.co.uk/starsixes Follow: @starsixes

He’s in the body of an athlete who’s 40