Wayne Rooney has disclosed that he suffers from deafness in his left ear, a condition he had never publicly discussed until now.
The 40-year-old former Manchester United striker made the surprising admission during a Match of the Day ‘Behind the Scenes’ programme, revealing that the hearing impairment creates difficulties in his role as a television pundit.
The England legend explained that loud studio environments make it challenging for him to follow what presenters are saying to him.
Neither the timing nor the cause of Rooney’s auditory condition has been established, leaving questions unanswered about when he first experienced the hearing loss.
The disclosure came about when Rooney was being fitted with equipment by BBC production staff, requesting that his earpiece be placed in his right ear rather than his left.
“Can I do it in this ear?” he asked while indicating his stronger ear. “I used to close the talkback.”
He then offered a candid explanation for the request: “The problem is I’m deaf in my left ear.”
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The former England captain elaborated on how this affects his broadcasting duties, stating: “So when it’s too loud I struggle to hear what Kelly Cates or whoever is saying.”
Cates serves as one of the programme’s regular presenters alongside host Mark Chapman.
While the origin of Rooney’s hearing loss remains uncertain, records show he sustained a significant injury to his left ear back in 2009 when he slipped aboard a luxury yacht on the French Riviera, requiring 45 stitches.
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The former striker appeared on Saturday evening’s Match of the Day panel, where Chapman playfully introduced him as “John Rooney’s brother” – a nod to his younger sibling’s recent success in guiding Macclesfield to a stunning FA Cup upset against Crystal Palace.
Rooney had plenty to discuss as Manchester United secured a 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford in Michael Carrick’s first match as manager, with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu finding the net after the interval.
Rooney’s move into broadcasting followed his departure from management, having previously taken charge at Plymouth Argyle, Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City.
He signed with Match of the Day over the summer on a deal reportedly worth £800,000 annually, while also hosting a podcast for the BBC.
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The transition to media work came after he made occasional appearances as a pundit on Amazon Prime Video’s Champions League coverage during the previous campaign.
Speaking to talkSPORT in June, Rooney suggested his focus had shifted away from the dugout: “Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m enjoying it. So, that’s where I’ll be.”
