Interim England manager Gareth Southgate has criticised the supporters that booed Wayne Rooney during Saturday's 2-0 win over Malta at Wembley Stadium.
Despite losing his spot in the Manchester United XI in recent weeks, Rooney lined up in a central midfield position for England, who were comfortable winners in the 2018 World Cup qualification match.
The 30-year-old received a host of criticism from sections of the support in London, and Southgate has admitted that he 'does not understand' why the Three Lions skipper is always in the firing line.
"I presented him with a cap in the week for being a record cap holder for his country," Southgate told reporters. "It's fascinating to get an insight into his world, every debate seems to focus on him. The criticism of him is at times unfair and he ploughs on and plays with pride and captains his country with pride.
"I look back to the [John] Terrys, the [Frank] Lampards, the Ashley Coles, they took enormous criticism but they were the guys that kept turning out and putting themselves on the line and others haven't done that and withdrawn from squads.
"Those guys are the ones that are desperate to play for England and I think Wayne is in that category. I don't understand [the boos] but that seems to be the landscape and I have no idea how that's expected to help him. I'm sure they'll look at the number of games and his goalscoring feats for England but I don't understand it."
With 53 goals in 117 international appearances, Rooney is England's all-time record goalscorer and their second most-capped player behind Peter Shilton, who retired with 125 caps to his name.
Matt Law
