Wayne Rooney reveals surprise secret behind Man Utd success

Wayne Rooneyâ€s glittering spell at Manchester United produced five Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and a haul of unforgettable goals.

But according to the clubâ€s record scorer, the secret ingredient behind Sir Alex Fergusonâ€s dominant side wasnâ€t tactics or training – it was playing on the PlayStation.

Speaking on his BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show, the 38-year-old revealed that much of the teamâ€s bond was forged not on the pitch, but on the road. The players regularly played SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs on the PlayStation Portable, turning long journeys into fierce five-versus-five battles.

“I really believe a big part of our success was playing on the PSP,” Rooney said. “It got us communicating more.

“We used to play it on the plane, on the team bus,” he explained. “It would be me, Rio [Ferdinand], Michael Carrick, John Oâ€Shea, Wes Brown. You have to talk, you have to tactically be right, go and revive people when they get killed, and it was a massive part of our success. Ask any of those players – it was brilliant.”

Rooney added that his teammates†styles in the game often mirrored their personalities on the pitch.

“Michael Carrick was a little sneaky, calm one. Youâ€d be lying down hiding and suddenly hear a grenade bounce nearby – heâ€d thrown it,” he said. “I was just all in, frontline of the trenches, straight in there.”

So while Fergusonâ€s legendary leadership and the squadâ€s quality remain undisputed, Rooney insists that SOCOM and the PlayStation may just have played an underrated role in creating one of footballâ€s most dominant dynasties.

Who’d have thought?

Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick helped United win tonnes. / Michael Regan/GettyImages

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