WAYNE ROONEY kept himself calm before the 2008 Champions League final – by watching the film Sister Act alone in his hotel room.
The former England captain was nervous ahead of Manchester United’s all-England final against Chelsea in Moscow.
Rooney lifts the Champions League trophy in 2008Credit: PA:Press Association
Rooney eased the tension by whacking the Whoopi Goldberg classic in and watching it to get his mind off the biggest game of his career.
It was the first time ever two English sides had contested the final.
He told The Sunday Times: “Sister Act! That’s how I prepared for the biggest game of my career. Watching Sister Act alone in a Russian hotel room.”
The striker, now at Derby, was 22 when he lined up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Co for the final.
United looked like they were going out on penalties after extra-time.
But Blues skipper John Terry famously slipped, missing what would have been the winning spot-kick, before United secured the silverware.
Sir Alex Ferguson even tried a similar sort of trick before the 2011 final against Barcelona at Wembley, taking his stars to see Jersey Boys in London’s West End.
Rooney said: “Before the 2011 final with Barcelona at Wembley, the whole team went out to see Jersey Boys at a theatre in London. Frankie Valli was there. Good show — I’ve seen it a few times. The lads enjoyed it.”
Rooney wrote in his column ahead of today’s Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
He revealed he can see similarities between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at PSG and his partnership with Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
Rooney said: “Cristiano Ronaldo and I had something similar at United. I imagine Neymar and Mbappe love playing together because they both help and push each other to be better.”
He added: “When you lift that trophy as a player, you know you have won the hardest of all club tournaments, the biggest you can win, and it is a release. It gives you so much confidence.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
