WAYNE ROONEY!

Sum yourself up in three words…
Happy, passionate, determined.

You do seem a happier individual these days. What’s changed?
I’ve always loved what I do. Playing football is my passion, something I’ve wanted to do my whole life, so to be able to do it at a high level is incredible. I know how lucky I am. I’m at a brilliant club and to be an England player is still something I can’t quite believe.

What drives Wayne Rooney?
Playing football. To be paid to do something I love is fantastic. But even if there wasn’t money involved, I’d still be out there with my mates having a kick-about. It’s all I’ve ever really known.

Footballers get a lot of bad press, with critics saying they don’t care about the supporters. What’s the truth?
Yeah, we make mistakes – people forget we’re human beings as well as footballers – but there is no malice there. To be in the spotlight can be hard for some young players to cope with too. As for the fans, they mean the world to the players – when they sing your name, there’s no better feeling. For me personally I hope it’s clear I appreciate the fans because at the end of the day I consider myself to be a fan too.

Will Euro 2012 see England end over 40 years of hurt?
I hope so! I think we showed in qualification that we’ve come a long way. We’ve always had the players but maybe there is a little bit more belief now. Every time we go out there we expect to get a good result. Confidence is everything in football…

Who’s the scariest – Fergie or Fabio?
Both! I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of either of them.

Do you ever get big-headed being England’s number one?
No! And I don’t see it that way. We’ve got loads of good players. Personally I always try to deal with the good things the same way as I do the bad – I don’t get too excited either way. I have great people around me who keep my feet on the ground. Yeah, it’s nicer when people say nicer things but it’s honestly all about the team.

You look like being back to your best. What’s been the secret?
Confidence. Being happy. Having amazing team-mates.

So it’s not your new hair?
Ha, ha! Who knows?

It was kind of brave of you to be so up front about your hair transplant though…
I’m not sure it was brave, I just thought ‘why should I hide it?' I was a young man who had lost his hair and decided to do something about it. There was no big drama for me.