Home / Sports / Rooney's Shocking Player List: Semenyo, Mbeumo, Gyökeres
Rooney's Shocking Player List: Semenyo, Mbeumo, Gyökeres
20 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Wayne Rooney excluded Erling Haaland from his top three players.
- Rooney selected Antoine Semenyo, Bryan Mbeumo, and Viktor Gyökeres.
- Haaland has scored 14 goals in 11 top-flight games this season.
Wayne Rooney has drawn criticism for his unexpected selection of the Premier League's top players, notably excluding the prolific Erling Haaland. Rooney instead lauded Antoine Semenyo for his crucial role at Bournemouth, stating the winger has significantly contributed to the team's goals. He also praised Bryan Mbeumo's performance for Manchester United, acknowledging the forward's impressive work rate and goal-scoring ability, overcoming initial doubts.
Rooney's third pick, Viktor Gyökeres, has also sparked debate. While Gyökeres has provided a physical presence and some goals for Arsenal, his individual statistics pale in comparison to Haaland's remarkable 14 goals in 11 games. Haaland's consistent scoring form for Manchester City has led many to question Rooney's omission.
The former England captain's choices have overlooked other strong performers, including midfielders like Moisés Caicedo and Declan Rice, and defenders such as Gabriel. Even in a struggling Liverpool side, Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed, highlighting the depth of talent Rooney seemingly disregarded in favor of his unconventional top three.
