Wayne Rooney Takes Legal Action Against Andy Carroll's Autobiography Claims
Wayne Rooney has instructed lawyers over claims in Andy Carroll’s upcoming autobiography, setting up a potential courtroom clash between the former England team-mates.
The ex-England captain, now 40, has sent a legal letter to the publishers of Carroll’s book, Owning It, demanding the removal of a passage that alleges he organised drinking sessions in his room while on Three Lions duty around 2010–2011.
Carroll’s account claims Rooney invited players to his room to drink during England training camps, painting a picture of a boozy culture around the national side at the time. Rooney’s camp insists the story is false and damaging.
A source close to Rooney told The Sun he is “livid” and treating the matter with absolute seriousness, insisting the claims “crossed the line” even though he accepts his past is not spotless. For Rooney, this is being framed as a question of principle rather than image management.
The legal letter to the publisher is understood to be robust, warning of a costly court battle unless the allegation is withdrawn. Carroll, the former Newcastle and Liverpool striker, is now facing the prospect of an expensive and very public dispute just as his book is about to hit the shelves.
According to the same report, Carroll has been left reeling by the strength of Rooney’s response. What began as a headline-grabbing anecdote to help sell copies has now left him contemplating the possibility of a public apology to avoid a full-blown legal fight.
The timing could hardly be more explosive. Rooney’s new Disney+ series, The Real Rooneys, launches on Thursday – the very day Carroll’s autobiography is released. The overlap drags Rooney’s past back into the spotlight just as he is trying to reshape his public image.
Since retiring in 2018, Rooney has shifted from the touchline to the studio. After stints in management, he has become a regular on BBC’s Match of the Day and is lining up new media projects, including a podcast and a gameshow. He is also in advanced talks to appear on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, with a personal target of at least matching wife Coleen’s runner-up finish on last year’s series.
Those close to him say this period marks a clean break from the chaos of his playing days. He has shed significant weight, cut out drinking and is intent on presenting a more disciplined, settled version of himself. Allegations of late-night drinking sessions in England camp are exactly the kind of stories he is desperate to leave behind.
Now, with a legal team mobilised and a high-profile TV return looming, Rooney has made his position clear: if Carroll wants to stand by the story, he may have to do it under oath.
