Golf
Wayne Rooney played golf with Donald Trump under the watch of snipers
Wayne Rooney enjoyed a legendary career in the Premier League with Everton and Manchester United but moving to the MLS with DC United led to an unexpeted opportunity
Wayne Rooney was once in the sights of snipers as he completed a round of golf with former US President Donald Trump.
The Manchester United and England legend, who was recently appointed as the new head coach of Championship side Plymouth Argyle, had quite the audience for 18 holes. While accompanying Trump may have been startling in itself, being followed by an army of security was a surreal moment for Rooney.
The match-up occurred when the 38-year-old was based in Washington DC, having taken his career to the United States in 2018. Rooney departed Everton for the second time to enjoy two seasons with DC United, netting 23 times in 48 appearances for the club.
Former New York Mayor Rudi Guiliani was in tow while Rooney paired with Trump. It left Rooney with an easy an answer to a question from Gary Neville.
When asked the most famous person he’d played golf with, Rooney told The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet: “Donald Trump. The maddest thing about it was we had [Rudi] Guiliani in the buggy behind us, then there were about 50-100 golf buggies that were all security.
“There was a boat in the lake with snipers, there were snipers in the bushes, and I was like ‘what’s going on here?!’”
The opportunity for Rooney to join the businessman and star of the US version of television show the Apprentice was born out of a connection with his son. It even led to a visit to the Oval Office, in the White House.
Rooney explained: “I went in, he asked me to give his son football lessons. He said ‘do you want to see my dad?’ Took me into the oval office. From there his PA just texted, ‘do you want to play golf?'”
Rooney also revealed that he would choose Lionel Messi in the debate of whether the Inter Miami star or Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time. The ex-striker showed no favouritism to his former teammate.
He said: “I think Messi, I think he’s the best ever. I get a lot of stick for saying Messi. I understand people can say Messi or Ronaldo, they’re both incredible, probably the best two players to play the game. For me, Messi has just got that little bit more flair which I like in a player.
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