25 November 2023 , 09:00
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Wayne and Coleen Rooney have come together for a joint project in Manchester following a busy few weeks for the couple.
Fresh from the success of her Disney Plus series and the release of her explosive autobiography, Coleen was joined by her husband at the Football For Change gala on Saturday 18 November, with both the mum-of-four and Birmingham City manager Wayne doing their bit to help disadvantaged children get the best start in life.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror at Manchester’s Emirates Old Trafford stadium, Coleen was full of praise for her husband as she recalled his dedication to becoming a professional footballer and stressed how important it is to both of them to get involved with foundations like Football For Change.
Wayne and Coleen Rooney walked the turquoise carpet together at the 2023 Football For Change gala (KIERAN / SplashNews.com)
The couple opened up about Wayne's journey to becoming a footballer at the event (Getty Images)Football For Change was launched in 2021 by by football superstars Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jamie Carragher, Conor Coady and Jude Bellingham. The charitable initiative has raised nearly £1 million since its launch and sees footballers and business leaders coming together with a goal to help improve the life chances and opportunities of young people from some of the most challenged neighbourhoods in the country.
Chatting to the Mirror at the 2023 gala, Croxteth-born Coleen shared how she always makes it a priority to support organisations like Football For Change as she revealed some early memories of Wayne's playing career. She said: "Going back to when Wayne played football, he was fortunate enough to be involved in an academy but he grew up playing on the streets and he got picked up there. I do think it's important to support all the young kids coming through nowadays."
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She went on to add: "People do describe Wayne as the last of the 'street footballers', and surely he wasn't the last, but I remember when I started going out with him, he'd come back from Everton games and go out and play on the street as that's all he'd known and he loved it. Obviously he was part of an academy but he enjoyed that part of it just as much as he did club football."
The Football For Change 2023 gala took place at Manchester’s Emirates Old Trafford stadium on Saturday night, with some amazing donations from the likes of David Beckham and comedian Alan Carr up for grabs in the speculator money-can't-buy auction and a whole hosts of stars present for the celebration.
Olly Murs was one of the many huge names who performed at the annual bash - with the former X Factor contestant "buzzing" to be the headline act at the Football for Change fundraising gala. BBC Radio 2 DJ Vernon Kay got a heroes welcome on the night as he arrived on stage to host the evening just hours on from completing his epic Children In Need fundraising challenge.