SIX SERIOUS SETBACKS FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY...

JUNE 2004

After scoring four goals in the opening three games of Euro 2004, 18-year-old Rooney limps off in the quarter-final against Portugal with a broken metatarsal. He moves from Everton to United later that summer and scores a hat-trick against Fenerbahce on his debut.

APRIL 2006

Six weeks before the World Cup, Rooney breaks another metatarsal in a challenge with Chelsea’s Paulo Ferreira. He looks set to miss the tournament but returns to play in four of England’s five matches. But he fails to score and is sent off for stamping on Portugal’s Ricardo Carvalho in the quarter-final.

AUGUST 2007

Rooney breaks a third metatarsal in three years in a United match against Reading. He returns six weeks later.

NOVEMBER 2007

A month after returning from his metatarsal injury, Rooney sprains an ankle and misses another month, including England’s fateful Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia. On his return he does not score for five games.

MARCH 2010

Rooney injures his ankle against Bayern (below) and leaves Munich on crutches with a cast (left), sparking fears he may miss the World Cup. He makes a surprise return for the second leg against Bayern a week later but fails to score again for United that season before enduring a torrid World Cup in South Africa without scoring.

MAY 2012

Rooney is suspended for the first two matches of Euro 2012 and, after playing while injured towards the end of United’s season, is given an extended break by Roy Hodgson. But an ill-advised holiday in Las Vegas hampers his preparations, though he does score on his return against Ukraine.