International sports

‘That’s why you failed as a coach’ – Fans tear into Rooney over Partey omission

Former England captain Wayne Rooney has come under fire from fans after controversially excluding Thomas Partey from his combined Real Madrid and Arsenal XI.

With top-tier players on both sides, picking a combined team was never going to be easy.

However, Rooney made some eyebrow-raising choices, most notably selecting Lucas Vázquez, who hasn’t regularly featured in that role for Carlo Ancelotti in recent months, over Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber, who has been a mainstay in the Gunners’ lineup throughout the 2024/25 season.

The decision that particularly sparked outrage was Rooney’s omission of Partey from the midfield.

Fans were quick to criticise the former Manchester United striker, with some questioning his football knowledge and others attributing his past coaching struggles to such decisions.

The Ghanaian midfielder was outstanding in the first leg against Real Madrid in London on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, earning widespread praise from fans and pundits alike.

The 31-year-old has featured in 30 Premier League games this season for Arsenal, scoring four goals and providing two assists.

Wayne Rooney’s combined XI for Arsenal vs Real Madrid:

Thibaut Courtois, Lucas Vázquez, Antonio Rüdiger, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Eduardo Camavinga, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr.

Read some of the comments below:

 

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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