John Rooney’s Macclesfield shocked Crystal Palace 2-1 in the FA Cup, resulting in Wayne Rooney feeling emotional and proud as his brother’s team achieved history at Moss Rose.
Wayne Rooney struggled to hold back tears as his younger brother engineered one of the biggest surprises in FA Cup history.
John Rooney’s Macclesfield, a mid-table team from the sixth division, shocked defending champions Crystal Palace 2-1 at Moss Rose—a result that will be remembered in Cup history.
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Captain Paul Dawson’s lofty header in the first half put the home team in front, and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts extended the advantage after halftime. Palace scored again with Yeremy Pino in the 90th minute, yet Macclesfield stood firm, showing resilience as the Premier League team pushed hard.
On the sidelines, Wayne Rooney observed as a BBC analyst and as a proud elder sibling.
Why Was Wayne Rooney Emotional After Macclesfield’s Victory?
As the final whistle sounded and supporters rushed onto the field, the ex-England captain found it hard to maintain his poise.
“Seeing my younger brother accomplish this is unbelievable,” Rooney remarked, becoming emotional. “I take great pride in him.” “What he accomplished today is truly outstanding.”
Wayne recounted how composed John appeared in the final moments, even as history called. “He simply rotated and performed a small fist pump.” “I have no idea how he remained so composed.”
The moment concluded with a heartfelt on-field hug as Wayne spoke with John right after the final whistle.
What Did John Rooney Say After Macclesfield Beat Crystal Palace?
“I still can’t wrap my head around it,” John Rooney confessed. “Right from the start, we were amazing.” I’m incredibly proud of the guys. “We earned it.”
Divided by 117 levels in the football hierarchy, Macclesfield not only triumphed over Palace — they outperformed, outsmarted, and outlasted them.
“We rendered them ineffective,” John added. “I believed every player was amazing.”