Wayne Rooney confirms special Old Trafford return as England manager at Soccer Aid

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney will make his return to Old Trafford this September as the manager of England at the annual Soccer Aid. Currently, a player-coach at Derby County, England's record goalscorer, Rooney, has already honed his skills as a head coach under the tutelage of Phillip Cocu.

Wayne Rooney will be work alongside former England manager Sam Allardyce, who will serve as co-manager, and former England No.1 David Seaman serving as the goalkeeping coach for the one-off fixture.

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Wayne Rooney confirms Old Trafford return

The 34-year-old announced his return to Old Trafford for the charity match via social media, where he thanked Derby for allowing him to gain some crucial experience as a manager and take part in the event "for a great cause."

"Taking part in Soccer Aid for Unicef is something I have wanted to do for many years," Rooney said. "Previously, I have never been able to make the dates work, but this year was obviously different. I was enormously proud to be asked to manage the England team and although there will be no fans at the match, it is always special to go back to Old Trafford. Simply, representing your country is always a huge honour – and this game is no different. I’m looking forward to working with Sam and David."

Wayne Rooney further urged football fans to support the case, helping to over £1 million for UNICEF. "This year, every £1 donated is automatically tripled to £3 thanks to the UK Government and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, so I would ask people to donate if they can," he added. 

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The date and the time of the Soccer Aid match are expected to be announced in the coming days. The charity fixture was initially scheduled to be played on June 6. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic meant it had to be delayed until September. 

Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra will be making his Soccer Aid debut alongside David James this year. The likes of Yaya Toure, Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher and Robbie Kean will also be returning to play at this year's event. 

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(Image Credits: FIFA Official Website)