BVB youth steals the show: "Goodbye" Rooney seals an era

athletic

Friday, November 16, 2018

Wayne Rooney does not have to worry about the future of the English national football team. At the farewell, the 33-year-old already plays with his potential successor: Jadon Sancho, shooting star of Borussia Dortmund.

After 58 minutes of play, Thursday night at Wembley, the noise has become as loud as any other time tonight. Wayne Rooney entered the sacred lawn of this football cathedral. One last time in white jersey with the three lions on the chest, one last time with the captain's armband on the left arm. The approximately 60,000 spectators celebrated it with enthusiasm and, at the end of the last 32 minutes of his career in the national team, their record man had almost scored a goal.

Wembley had a memorable evening. Because of Rooney, 33 years old, 120 caps, 54 goals and a year after his resignation, he officially became a former international. But mostly because of Jadon Sancho. In the 3-0 (2-0) against the United States, his second international match, the first from the start, did not hit striker Borussia Dortmund, but he played more than 90 minutes, in general so staggering that he delighted the observers and stood out,

"Wayne Rooney," wrote the Guardian, "must've seen his youth in Jadon Sancho, leaving this step with the badurance that the staff has been handed over to worthy successors." The past and future of the Three Lions were gathered in the field for 32 minutes, or 32 minutes, which Sancho and Rooney clearly recognized. "Playing with Wayne Rooney is a dream come true, it's a legend and a model for me," Sancho said.

"It was a brilliant year"

Sancho was two years old when Rooney made his debut in England. During this memorable evening, many remembered Rooney at the time. To a young striker, who should give the lethargic homeland of football hope for a better future. "But Rooney was a trip without a card," the Guardian noted. This means that England had no plan. Sancho has better: thank you to his team leader, Gareth Southgate, who is always interested in youth.

In the starting lineup of the English, there were Thursday seven players aged 25 years or less. The goals were scored by Jesse Lingard (25/25), Trent Alexander-Arnold (27/20) after a superb badist from Sancho (18) and a modest debutant in the second half, Callum Wilson (77./26). Rooney was impressed. England has "a large group of young players" with a promising future, who will be "brilliantly coached," he said.

After Rooney's farewell match, it will be serious for the English on Sunday. The last day of their group of the League of Nations with Spain and Croatia, they meet in a new edition of the semi-finals of the World Cup on Croatia. A win and the Three Lions are in the semi-finals of the competition. They could also give up, but Southgate says, "No matter what happens on Sunday, it was a brilliant year."

Source: n-tv.de