Wayne Rooney has made a startling revelation about the role his wife, Coleen, has played in saving his life. Speaking with raw honesty, the former England captain admitted that without her unwavering support, his struggles with alcohol might have proved fatal.
Rooney opened up about how he once turned to alcohol to escape pressure and personal battles, describing heavy two-day drinking sessions that he tried to conceal with “eye drops, chewing gum and aftershave.”
Looking back, he confessed that his habits could have destroyed him if not for Coleen’s steady presence.
“I honestly believe if she weren’t there I’d be dead,” Rooney revealed on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
Rooney reveals how his wife rescued him from death
The couple’s story began long before the fame and headlines. Rooney and Coleen, both from Croxteth, Liverpool, started dating as teenagers and tied the knot in 2008.
Their bond has endured public scrutiny, scandals, and the pressures of fame, but Rooney insists Coleen has been his anchor throughout.
“Coleen is massive. It’s bad because we’re two kids from Croxteth and then we grew up together, and obviously we started dating and we got married and have kids. But when I was 17 she could see, she knew my mind, and she knew I was a bit out there. You know, I loved my football, obsessed with football, but also I loved a night out or whatever going out,” he said, as cited by The Sun.
Rooney went on to credit his wife with helping him manage those impulses. “She’s seen it very early on and she’s controlled that. Well, not controlled but helped me control that massively. And at times you’re like, ‘What are you doing? Why do you keep saying don’t do this or don’t do that?’ How she’s managed me because I needed managing.”
Despite admitting to past mistakes — many of which were played out publicly — Rooney spoke with heartfelt gratitude about Coleen’s influence.
“[She’s] the best person and I’ve made mistakes in the past which are well documented and whatever but I’m a little bit different at times and she keeps me on that path and she’s done it for 20-odd years.”
The couple now share four sons: Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six. Their journey from teenage sweethearts to family life has been marked by resilience, loyalty, and the kind of quiet strength Rooney says saved his life.