He has always hit back at long-held perceptions about his intelligence, insisting he is far more rounded and self-educated than many give him credit for.
And Wayne Rooney has proved he possesses the wit to make millions laugh, dropping several one-liners and hilarious tweets over the years.
Most recently he had World Cup viewers in hysterics when he described the 2026 final halftime show as ‘c**p’ and said the ‘best part was when it ended’.
During Sunday’s show, the likes of Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the Muppets performed at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
And the former England captain, 41, didn’t mince his words with his review of the performance, leaving viewers in hysterics as he mused: ‘It just didn’t get me going, I wanted the football to be back on.
‘It was a bit flat. I like Burna Boy I like Shakira I like Bieber but that was too flat.’
Yet that’s far from the only hilarious remark Wayne has made over the years…
Wayne Rooney’s best one-liners and funny moments after he left World Cup viewers in hysterics with his cutting review of the ‘c**p’ halftime show on Sunday
In 2022, Wayne shared his honest opinion of Everton’s top stars when he signed to the club in 2002, branding Duncan Ferguson and Alan Stubbs ‘c**p’ (pictured with Duncan in 2014)
Wayne’s very honest assessment of his teammates
While his 13-year stint at Manchester United may be his most memorable, it was Everton FC that first realised Wazza’s talents, nurturing him for six years in their youth team before signing him to their adult squad in 2002.
Yet Wayne confessed he wasn’t too impressed with his teammates in the Premier League team, revealing in 2022 his honest opinion of the senior stars at the time.
Wayne said on Toffee TV: ‘For me to go in with Duncan (Ferguson), Stubbsy (Alan Stubbs), all of them who I have grown up watching, to then go and play with them, train with them every day and play with them, and then so quickly, I remember thinking: “These are c**p!” I couldn’t believe how bad some of them were.’
Wayne vs Piers Morgan
Back in 2011, Wayne made his feelings about Piers Morgan’s judging skills on Britain’s Got Talent clear, with a bizarre tweet about Piers and Simon Cowell
He then followed it up with: ‘@piersmorgan hello big pants’. Yet Piers saw the funny side, retweeting the message and writing: ‘Hi mate’
Back in 2011, Wayne made his feelings about Piers Morgan’s judging skills on Britain’s Got Talent clear, with a bizarre tweet.
Taking to X/Twitter he penned: ‘@piersmorgan shut up u egg and get out of cowells hole. Won’t tell u again.’
He then followed it up with: ‘@piersmorgan hello big pants’.
Yet Piers saw the funny side, retweeting the message and writing: ‘Hi mate’.
The pair patched things up shortly afterwards and enjoyed a boozy couples’ date in the States with their wives Coleen Rooney and Celia Walden.
Piers, recalled the night on the Clare Balding show in 2014, saying: ‘He’s an absolutely hilarious character and he likes a drink. So we had a few drinks, and we had a few more drinks.
‘We get to about 11.30pm, and he gets to go up to leave and trips backwards into a large olive tree pot.
‘And he’s lying, trapped in this pot, and Coleen just looked down at him and went “for God’s sake Wayne, let’s get you home.”
‘So I assumed he was going home, then I woke up in the morning and checked my Twitter feed and there was one from Coleen, from 5am, from Bababoom nightclub in West Hollywood saying “having a great time with Wayne.” So they party those two.’
Wayne goes rowing
During the World Cup, Wayne was forced to go for a row down New York’s Hudson River after he was left stunned by Norway’s remarkable run to the quarter-finals
During the World Cup, Wayne was forced to go for a row down New York’s Hudson River after he was left stunned by Norway’s remarkable run to the quarter-finals.
Wayne, like many others, underestimated Norway’s chances heading into this summer’s showpiece, and vowed to take on the challenge if Norway were to knock out Brazil.
The pledge was a nod to the synchronised rowing chant that accompanied the Norwegian football team’s appearances and became one of the viral staples of the 2026 World Cup.
After Norway’s victory, Wayne then heaved his way through one of the world’s most famous waterways alongside fellow BBC pundits and former England team-mates Joe Hart and Micah Richards.
While Joe credited Micah with being a ‘natural’, the same perhaps could not be said of Wayne, who yelled: ‘I think I’ve pulled my thigh.’
Wayne’s TV reviews
If punditry work ever dries up for Wayne, there could be work as a TV critic on the horizon. The footballer has left his followers in hysterics with his short and to the point reviews of TV shows
When asked about his tweets in 2024, he said he found his Mr Bean one the funniest, admitting he didn’t know why he’d written it, musing ‘I’d probably had a few drinks’
If punditry work ever dries up for Wayne, there could be work as a TV critic on the horizon.
The footballer has left his Twitter followers in hysterics with his short and to the point reviews of TV shows.
Quoting Leigh Francis aka Keith Lemon, he previously tweeted: ‘Celebrity juice time. Ooooosssssshhhh’.
He also cracked fans up when he penned: ‘Mr bean. Funny’.
When asked about his tweets in 2024, he said he found his Mr Bean one the funniest, admitting he didn’t know why he’d written it, musing ‘I’d probably had a few drinks.’
Wayne vs Wayne
Wayne is active on X/Twitter and is no stranger to publicly hitting back at trolls. Yet the former Derby County manager confused fans in 2011 when he appeared to pick a fight with himself
Wayne is active on X/Twitter and is no stranger to publicly hitting back at trolls.
Yet the former Derby County manager confused fans in 2011 when he appeared to pick a fight with himself.
He began by tweeting: ‘@sam_oldham_LFC cool bring ur sandwedge girl’.
Yet followed it up by tweeting himself: ‘@WayneRooney I’ll put u asleep within 10 seconds u little girl. Don’t say stuff and not follow up on it. I’ll be waiting.’
Wayne mourns Whitney Houston
The music world was left in mourning in February 2012 when Whitney Houston passed away after accidentally drowning, and Wayne also expressed his grief in his own way
The music world was left in mourning in February 2012 when Whitney Houston passed away after accidentally drowning, with drug abuse and heart disease also factors.
The news hit many people hard, including Wayne, who marked the tragedy by tweeting: ‘Whitney has passed away. RIP u will live on forever. Cant believe it.’
Yet fans were left baffled by the second part of Wayne’s sweet tribute, as he continued: ‘I wanna run to u. Really cant believe this. @’
Wayne later confirmed he was a big fan of Whitney’s music, saying his favourite tune was A Song For You.
Wayne vs technology
In 2011, Wayne left fans in hysterics when he publicly tweeted a message to Rio Ferdinand that he seemingly meant to send as a DM or a text message
Last year, the pair referred to the tweet again when they reunited to film a road trip series for Ineos Grenadier’s YouTube channel, yet this time it was Rio who picked Wayne up
In 2011, Wayne left fans in hysterics when he publicly tweeted a message to Rio Ferdinand that he seemingly meant to send as a DM or a text message.
His followers were baffled when he tweeted: ‘Hi rio do u want picking up in the morning pal’, with no further context.
Eight years later, Rio poked fun at the moment to mark Wayne’s return to English football from DC United by retweeting the gaffe.
Last year, the pair referred to the tweet again when they reunited to film a road trip series for Ineos Grenadier’s YouTube channel.
When United jetted to the States for pre-season games, the pair filmed a series across the pond.
Yet in a twist, it was Rio that picked up Wayne, with the pair’s 250 mile road trip taking them from Manchester, Michigan to Chicago.
