- published: 17 Mar 2016
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Darren Barr Fletcher (born 1 February 1984 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester United. He is the current captain of Scottish national team. The industrious footballer has also played as a right winger or as an emergency defender. Fletcher is a midfielder whose passing and tackling are exemplary, as is his discipline and commitment to the cause.
Fletcher came through the ranks of Manchester United's Youth Academy and has won four Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, two League Cups, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Fletcher was included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for 2009–10.
Fletcher made his Scotland debut in 2003 and scored his first international goal on his second appearance. After Barry Ferguson was banned from international football because of a breach of regulations, Fletcher was given the captain's armband in August 2009. Fletcher has since gained 58 caps and scored five goals for Scotland.
Wayne Mark Rooney (born 24 October 1985) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team.
Rooney made his senior international debut in 2003 becoming the youngest player to represent England (a record later broken by Theo Walcott). He is England's youngest ever goalscorer. He played at UEFA Euro 2004 and scored four goals, briefly becoming the competition's youngest goalscorer. Rooney featured at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and is widely regarded as his country's best player. He has won the England Player of the Year award twice, in 2008 and 2009. As of September 2011, he has won 73 international caps and scored 28 goals. Along with David Beckham, Rooney is the most red carded player for England, having been sent off twice.
Aged nine, Rooney joined the youth team of Everton, for whom he made his professional debut in 2002. He spent two seasons at the Merseyside club, before moving to Manchester United for £25.6 million in the 2004 summer transfer window. The same year, Rooney acquired the nickname "Wazza". Since then, with Rooney in the team, United have won the Premier League four times, the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League and two League Cups. He also holds two runner-up medals from both the Premier League and the Champions League. In April of the 2011–12 season Rooney scored his 180th goal, making him United's fourth highest goal-scorer of all time.