Wayne Rooney roared onto the scene as a player but is taking a more patient approach to coaching as the Manchester United and England great strives to become a top manager.
Nobody could forget his stunning breakthrough as a teenager with Everton and then the national team, leading to his big-money move to Old Trafford in 2004.
Rooney was a force of nature that won trophies aplenty as records fell with United before winding down his career with spells at Everton, DC United and Derby.
The forward hung up his boots in January 2021 to take on the full-time managerial role at County, steering them through tough times during a rollercoaster start to his coaching career.
The 37-year-old decided to return to the USA and has overseen a marked improvement since taking over then Major League Soccer strugglers DC United last July as he builds his coaching pedigree.
“It’s been a great experience,” Rooney told the PA news agency. “Obviously I had the challenge at Derby County, which was a difficult one to say the least.
“But coming out here has just really been about gaining experience and for me to try and develop as a coach.
“I know I am not where I want to be as a finished article, but these next few years are really important in terms of me getting to grips and getting the best out of myself and eventually out of the players. But it is something I really enjoy.”
Rooney seems to be approaching his coaching career with a calm, patient mindset – something that might surprise those that watched this aggressive whirlwind of a forward thunder around the pitch.
“I think patience is key and understanding that you are going to lose games, you’re not going to win every game and staying calm in them situations,” he said ahead of managing the MLS All-Stars against Arsenal at Audi Field.
“I think that’s something that’s really a strength of mine is understanding that.
“I’ve picked two difficult jobs to take, to be fair, but I really believe that they’ll help me in the future.
“When DC came in I felt it was a great opportunity to come out and keep developing.
“A difficult job in terms of where the club was at, so I had to try to improve the club first of all and get them up the table.
“And really just seeing different challenges, different things – obviously languages, culture, religion – and understanding all them different scenarios which could happen if you manage at the top level, which you will have to deal with.”
Rooney’s knowledge and experiences have clearly made him an empathetic, considered coach, who is focused on developing himself as well as his players at DC United.
“I think it’s a place where I’m coming to work and to learn and develop,” he said.
“Of course, after games you can get frustrated and you are always thinking of how the game has gone but I think it’s the right place now, in this moment in time, for me to develop.”
With his family back in the UK, Rooney says he lives a “quite boring” existence Stateside around a 45-minute drive from downtown Washington DC.
He stays with his fellow coaches and the relaxed environment is allowing the football obsessive to try new things.
“If you would have asked me a year ago if I would play with a back five I would have said no,” Rooney said.
“Then I’ve gone to a back five quite a few times this season because of probably the quality of the players and it suited the squad more with the players I had.
“So, there are small things like that which it has allowed me to learn and develop tactically with different formations.
“It’s a great experience for me to come here and work and I think it will really help me moving forward.”
Rooney has never shied away from his ambitions to one day manage at the top level, previously saying he would “love” to coach Manchester United or boyhood club Everton.
But right now it is DC United that holds his full focus in a competition that feels like it is about to take a giant leap forward.
Lionel Messi’s stunning move to Inter Miami certainly has the potential to take football in North America to new heights, while Rooney believes MLS’ true quality has long been underestimated.
“I think it’s surprised a lot of people,” he said. “Still now I get agents phoning me up and saying there’s a striker in League Two and he’s ready now to come to the MLS.
“I’m like: ‘He’s nowhere near good enough to come and play in the MLS!’
“I think that’s a lack of understanding of the league maybe and there’s maybe a little bit of disrespect towards the league from that point of view.
“There are some really quality players in this league who can play at a high level.
“There’s different challenges, there’s technically some great players in this league, athletically there’s some really fit players in the league.
“It’s a league which I feel is still improving and can get better, but I think it’s really got to a very good level.”
Last-chance saloon for Napoli in European race
Napoli's Serie A title defence has long since ended, and they must beat Fiorentina on Friday to have any hope of playing in Europe next season.
Napoli strolled to the Scudetto last year, clinching the title with five games to spare and finishing 16 points ahead of runners-up Lazio.
This time around, it was Inter who wrapped up the league with five games remaining, while Napoli sit ninth in the standings, 41 points adrift of the leaders with a Europa Conference League spot their only hope of playing in Europe.
Napoli are without a win in their last five games, though even if they can get back to winning ways, their European hopes would be out of their own hands due to having played a game more than Fiorentina.
Fiorentina have won three of their last five league matches, and won the previous meeting between the sides 3-1, which could prove vital they end the season level on points and the head-to-head record comes into play.
Vincenzo Italiano's side have already qualified for this season's Europa Conference League final, where they face Greek side Olympiacos in Athens.
The Viola, unbeaten in Europe this season, are aiming to end the league campaign on a high and take that momentum into the final - they are looking to go one better than last year when they lost to West Ham in the final.
Napoli are likely to be without top scorer Victor Osimhen, who is a serious doubt due to a muscular problem. Fiorentina, meanwhile, welcome back Andre Belotti who missed Monday's win over Monza.
Ronaldo motivated to keep playing at top level
Cristiano Ronaldo has no intention of stopping as he says he is still motivated to compete with the "young lions" coming through in the game.
Ronaldo is reportedly considering signing a contract extension to keep him at Al-Nassr until June 2026, taking him past his 41st birthday.
The Portugal international has scored 42 goals in 41 appearances for the Saudi Pro League club this season, and he insists he is still motivated to keep going.
Speaking on the Whoop podcast, he said: "I feel proud to have this age and still compete at the highest level. It's great, and it gives me motivation to carry on.
"If you look at my career for the last 20 years, my level is high. If you are top for 20 years, it's unbelievable.
"I do that, and I continue to do that. For me, it's a big achievement."
Ronaldo has scored an incredible 891 goals in his career and is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 128 goals.
"My biggest motivation is to carry on," he added. "It's not easy to be at this level.
"To still push, to still motivate, to carry on, to score goals, to be in good shape, to compete with the young lions that are coming and that when they play against me, they want to show me that they are stronger and faster than me.
"You have to prepare very well, not just physically but mentally, too. This is the challenge.
"Talent without work is nothing and work without talent is nothing. They have to work together at the same time. I have both. I can't say that I have more of one than the other.
"Small details will make the difference. Consistency is the most difficult thing.
"Are you willing to do that? That's the main point, because everyone wants to be Cristiano, but doing it is difficult. Discipline is the most difficult thing."
Vilahamn wants to use FA Cup final defeat as 'beginning' for Tottenham Women
Tottenham Women manager Robert Vilahamn believes his side will use their FA Cup final defeat to start something special, rather than ending their good work.
Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.
Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.
"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.
"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."
Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.
Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.
"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.
"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.
"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."
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