Former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney has been named Pundit of the Year at the 2026 Broadcast Sport Awards in recognition of his work as a television football analyst.
The 41-year-old, who is a regular on Stick To United, on Disney+, and the BBC’s Match of the Day, received the prestigious award at a ceremony in London on Thursday night, November 5, attended by approximately 650 people from the sports broadcasting industry.
Rooney’s recognition follows his impressive transition into television punditry, particularly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where his straightforward analysis, humour and outspoken opinions attracted widespread attention from viewers.
One of his most memorable moments came when he delivered a brutally honest assessment of the tournament’s final half-time show, which featured Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber.
Speaking live on BBC Television, Rooney said: “I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap.”
Speaking after receiving the award, Rooney admitted that becoming a television analyst had been more challenging than he initially anticipated.
“I didn’t realise how tough it was going to be when I first started doing it,” he said.
“I’ve always been my own biggest critic. And even now I need to improve, I need to be better. It’s a lot of hard work.”
He also admitted that criticism from viewers motivates him to become better at his new profession.
“It drives me to be better. I always feel when I do something I want to do better and be the best I can,” he added.
