Wayne Rooney hits back at claims about his intelligence as Man United and England legend gives candid interview

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Wayne Rooney has hit back at long-held perceptions about his intelligence, insisting he is far more rounded and self-educated than many give him credit for.

The former Manchester United and England star, now 39, has spent much of his life in the public eye, from his teenage breakthrough at Everton to becoming the Red Devils' record goalscorer.

But alongside his glittering playing career, Rooney has often had to battle stereotypes and assumptions about who he is off the pitch.

Rooney has found himself in front of the cameras once again, only this time in a very different light, working as a pundit for the BBC's football highlights show, Match of the Day.

Rooney’s transition from management to broadcasting comes after spells at Plymouth Argyle, Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City.

Speaking candidly, he revealed that one of the most persistent misconceptions he faces is about his education.

Wayne Rooney has insisted that he is not uneducated and that he makes a personal effort to teach himself

The former England captain also revealed that he is much softer off the pitch than he was on the football field during his playing career

Rooney was asked by BBC Sport: 'What do people get wrong about you the most?'

The former Three Lions captain responded: 'It's no secret that I didn't even take GCSEs but I think people assume because of that that I'm not educated, which is really wrong.

'I made a conscious effort when I was at Everton and Manchester United to educate myself in a lot of different things, such as black history and religion.

'The reason I did that was because I wanted to hold conversations with my team-mates who are from different backgrounds.

'That was something I did to help me with my team-mates and help understand how they have been brought up.

'That's probably something people don't understand about me.'

Rooney, who famously wore his heart on his sleeve during a ferocious career that saw him win five Premier League titles and a Champions League, also opened up about his softer side away from football.

Asked to share something surprising about himself, the ex-striker - often remembered for his fearlessness on the pitch - admitted: 'The one thing I can think of is I cry at everything on TV - X-Factor when people go through, I start crying.

Rooney signed an £800,000 deal to join the BBC's punditry team for Match of the Day

'As a player I was quite aggressive, but I'm actually quite soft really.'

Following his sacking by Argyle on New Year's Eve last year, Rooney has stepped into the world of punditry.

He is believed to have signed a lucrative deal worth around £800,000 a year to join Match of the Day.

Speaking to talkSPORT in June, Rooney made no secret of his enjoyment of football analysis.

He appeared to hint that his immediate future would involve more media work than management.

The Merseyside native told the radio station: ‘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.’

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