When Wayne Rooney recently revealed his battle with alcohol during his record-breaking career with Manchester United, it served as a jarring reminder that even the most successful sports stars face unseen challenges. Rooney’s candid revelations, however, also seemed like a throwback to a bygone era in English soccer.
“I just drank for two days straight, come [into] training and at the weekend I’d scored two goals and then I’d go back and go and drink for two days straight again,” Rooney confessed. “That was a moment in my life where I was struggling massively with alcohol. Massively struggling, and I didn’t think I could turn to anyone. I didn’t really want to because I didn’t want to put that burden on anyone.”
The Modern Game’s Evolving Landscape
In today’s professional soccer landscape, the game has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry focused on excellence. Clubs at all levels employ experts in nutrition, fitness, recovery, and well-being, all aimed at ensuring players’ optimal physical and mental health. Rooney’s story, dating back to his peak years at United under Sir Alex Ferguson from 2004-2013, seems like one that couldn’t be told in the modern era.
Despite these advancements, alcohol remains a concern. While contemporary issues such as gambling, gaming, and the use of substances like nitrous oxide and snus have emerged, the conversation around alcohol persists. Jeff Whitley, a player welfare executive and counselor at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), told ESPN, “Alcohol hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still there, it’s still accessible. Has it declined from the full extent of the 1990s? Yes, of course it has, but are we still having discussions with players around their relationship with alcohol? Yes, absolutely.”
Alcohol’s Lingering Presence in Soccer
During the 2024-25 English season, the PFA conducted over 1,500 well-being assessments across the Premier League, EFL, and Women’s Super League (WSL), revealing that around 13% of players identified alcohol as a concern. “They might not necessarily go out and party as hard as some of the people in the 1990s, but I suppose the most important thing is understanding how they drink and also what they see as somebody who is out of control with their consumption,” Whitley explained.
Whitley emphasized that it’s not just the frequency of drinking but the manner and potential consequences that matter. “If they’re drinking to excess where they have no off switch or they don’t know how much they’re going to drink or they’re having consequences when they’re out, whether that’s getting into fights or maybe they’ve jumped in the car after four or five drinks, these are the kind of things that I try and highlight,” he said.
Support Systems and Changing Attitudes
Clubs regularly open their doors to the PFA, often requesting Wellbeing Workshops that offer advice, education, and access to counselors. The PFA also provides a dedicated well-being team, a 24/7 helpline, and access to a national network of counselors. Through its partnership with the Sporting Chance Clinic, PFA members can access specialist mental health and addiction treatment. Sporting Chance, founded by former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams in 2000, offers counseling and residential clinics for athletes living with mental health conditions and addiction.
Whitley’s own experiences with addiction allow him to connect with players on a personal level. During his career, he battled alcohol and drug addictions, filed for bankruptcy, and spent time in rehab with Sporting Chance. “Nobody came into the clubs talking about that stuff when I was playing,” he said. “I was playing in a squad at City where some of the messages from the older players were along the lines of, ‘If you don’t drink, you ain’t going to be a player.'”
The Changing Culture of English Soccer
While the PFA’s findings show that alcohol remains an issue, the sport has transformed significantly since the 1990s. A photograph of England players downing spirits in a dentist’s chair during a pre-Euro 1996 training camp symbolized the game’s relationship with alcohol at the time. Arsene Wenger’s appointment as Arsenal manager in October 1996 marked a turning point, as he banned drinking on the team bus and closed the players’ bar.
ESPN analyst Don Hutchison, who played for several teams including Liverpool, West Ham, and Everton, witnessed the change during his career. Despite his success, Hutchison regrets the impact alcohol had on his career. “I do put my head on the pillow every now and again thinking, ‘what the f— was I doing in the early nineties?'” he admitted. “Because I know I could have got so much more out of my career. It still haunts me today.”
Hutchison’s experiences highlight the cultural shift in soccer. “At the time, the culture was that we worked hard and played hard. It sounds crazy now, but everybody did it and there was no chance of going to your manager to say you were worried it was a problem because you thought you’d look weak,” he said. “But things have changed; you can see that with players like James Milner, who doesn’t drink and is still playing in the Premier League at nearly 40 years old.”
Looking Forward
Although the sport has evolved, alcohol continues to trouble players, albeit in reduced numbers. With other addictions coming to the fore, Whitley stresses the importance of awareness and support. “Snus is a huge problem within the industry,” he said. “It’s in every club and we have clubs asking us for specific workshops on it. Whether it’s snus, nitrous oxide, alcohol, or whatever, if they don’t understand their addictive natures, then they’ll always search for something new.”
Ultimately, the path taken by former players like Rooney, Adams, and Hutchison is one filled with regrets due to the game’s relationship with alcohol. However, their experiences have paved the way for today’s generation to find a route out of the difficulties that impacted so many of their predecessors. “There are younger players coming forward looking for help and support now, and that’s a real positive,” Whitley concluded.
