Football: Salary System - Chapter 139: Passing the Torch (Patreon)

November 15, Wembley Stadium.

All 70,000 seats were filled.

From the moment this friendly between England and the United States was added to the schedule, it had revolved around a single theme.

Wayne Rooney’s farewell appearance for England.

Players from both teams lined either side of the tunnel, applauding as they welcomed him out.

Rooney slowly emerged holding his wife Coleen’s hand, with their four sons following behind. He carried the youngest in his arms.

The two were true childhood sweethearts.

They met in Liverpool when they were 12 and began dating at 16. In 2003, an 18-year-old Rooney proposed to 17-year-old Coleen. Five years later, they held a lavish wedding in Italy.

The family looked perfectly happy together.

Zayn thought the picture would have been even more heartwarming if he could somehow forget Rooney’s status as one of The Sun’s favorite subjects.

As one of the most talked-about stars in English football over the past two decades, Rooney’s private life had supplied The Sun with an almost endless stream of tabloid material.

From teenage prodigy at Everton to Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer, Rooney played like a tireless terrier on the pitch, but off it, he could never seem to keep his pants on.

Affairs, prostitutes, drunk driving. Every so often, The Sun would dig up another scandal.

As far back as 2004, shortly after turning 18, Rooney was exposed for regularly visiting cheap brothels in Liverpool.

Not only had he gone several times, he had reportedly even signed autographs for other customers while waiting.

Rooney also had rather particular tastes, preferring older women, including some old enough to be grandmothers.

The most sensational case involved the 18-year-old Rooney sleeping with a 48-year-old woman who was reportedly the mother of seven and grandmother of sixteen.

Then, while Coleen was pregnant in 2009, Rooney became embroiled in another prostitution scandal that made headlines across Britain.

In an attempt to save his marriage, he was forced to confess to Coleen that he had been involved with more than sixty women over an eighteen-month period, even getting down on his knees to beg her forgiveness.

In the end, Coleen forgave him.

But her husband did not change.

In September 2017, Rooney was arrested for drunk driving. His blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit, and the car he was driving belonged to a woman he had been partying with.

At the time, Coleen was pregnant with their fourth child.

In Zayn’s memories, even right up until 2026, before his rebirth, negative headlines about Rooney had never truly stopped.

And every time, Coleen chose to forgive him.

Zayn genuinely could not understand that kind of persistence.

Still, seeing the family together like this was moving.

After all, tonight was about football, not romance.

Fifteen months earlier, shortly after returning to Everton, the 32-year-old Rooney had turned down Southgate’s call-up and announced his retirement from international football. He wanted to devote all his energy to his boyhood club while also making room for the next generation.

He now played for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. This season, he had made 21 appearances in all competitions, scored 12 goals, and led the club to a historic first playoff appearance.

The tribute carefully arranged by The FA tonight was intended to give supporters a proper chance to say goodbye in person and allow Rooney to bring his England career to a fitting close.

To ensure the farewell did not interfere with Southgate’s evaluation of the squad or the team’s development, England’s squad had been expanded to 24 players for this international break.

Rooney was included as the 24th man. That way, he would not take anyone else’s place, while the farewell could still go ahead as planned.

There was little suspense surrounding the match itself.

Southgate fielded a fairly strong starting lineup.

Zayn partnered Kane up front, Sterling and Sancho played on the flanks, while Dier and Henderson anchored the midfield.

The United States, meanwhile, were going through a difficult generational transition after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Interim head coach Dave Sarachan had taken temporary charge, and the team was clearly inferior in both overall quality and cohesion.

Almost immediately after kickoff, Zayn found himself through one-on-one.

He remained composed inside the penalty area and slotted the ball into the far corner.

Not long afterward, he set up Kane for another goal.

“Z&K” struck again, putting England two goals ahead just over twenty minutes into the match.

Before the first half had even ended, the result was already all but decided.

Ten minutes into the second half, the substitution board went up on the touchline.

The moment the 70,000 people inside Wembley saw Rooney standing there, almost the entire stadium rose to its feet.

No. 11, Zayn Ryder, off.

No. 10, Wayne Rooney, on.

It was Rooney’s 120th appearance for England.

From February 12, 2003, when Rooney made his England debut against Australia at the age of 17 years and 111 days, to tonight, at 33 years and 28 days old, this would be the final time he wore the Three Lions shirt.

An international career spanning four World Cups and three European Championships was officially coming to an end.

Across those 120 appearances, he had scored 43 goals, having long since surpassed Bobby Charlton to become England’s all-time leading scorer.

In appearances, he ranked second in England history, behind only legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton and his 125 caps.

The symbolism of England’s all-time leading scorer replacing Zayn needed no explanation.

Zayn jogged toward the touchline, embraced Rooney, and joined the applause.

Tonight was not about him.

Nor did it need to be.

“Go enjoy it, Captain,” Zayn said.

Rooney grinned, gave Zayn a pat on the back, and ran onto the pitch.

There was nothing casual about the way he approached what was essentially a farewell exhibition.

He still fought for every first ball, still dropped deep to offer himself for passes, and still charged into the penalty area.

In the 68th minute, he even drove a low long-range shot across the grass with all his old power, only for it to flash wide of the near post.

In the 74th minute, Rooney received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box and used his body to hold off the American center back behind him.

He then laid it off to the advancing Sterling.

Sterling drove into the box and cut the ball back. Rooney arrived to guide a shot toward goal, but the goalkeeper tipped it over the crossbar.

The stands erupted in applause once again.

Later, Rooney also sent a header over the bar, earning yet another round of applause.

The match eventually ended 3-0.

The football itself may not have offered much excitement, but nobody felt the evening had been missing anything.

Because tonight had never really been about winning or losing.

After Rooney finished his interviews and returned to the locker room, the players held a small celebration for him.

There was no alcohol and no party. Southgate’s team rules remained firmly in place.

Rooney embraced Zayn and Kane, exchanged a few words with several old friends, then left with his family.

Next week’s UEFA Nations League match against Croatia, along with every England match that followed, would have nothing more to do with him.

...

Zayn had just packed his things and stepped out of the locker room when Raiola called.

“Mino, what is it?”

The fat man’s voice came through the phone with a slightly ingratiating chuckle.

“Zayn, perfect match. You gave those damn Americans a proper beating!”

“Get to the point.”

“Both games are at home this time, so you should have some free time, right?

“They’re filming season five of Peaky Blinders, and they want you to make a cameo in a little Easter egg scene. Interested?”

...

Author’s Note:We’re currently catching up to the original raw chapters.

Because of that, the upload schedule may start to vary a little from now on. This isn’t me slowing down by choice—we’ve simply been posting fast enough that we’re now getting very close to the original author’s latest chapters.

I’ll be keeping a close eye on the raws, and whenever a new chapter is released, I’ll try to get it translated and posted as soon as possible.

For now, expect roughly one chapter every 2–3 days, though that may vary depending on the original author’s update schedule.

Thanks for reading and sticking with the series!