Wayne Rooney slams England fans for booing players after Scotland Euro 2020 draw

Wayne Rooney has slammed the England fans who booed the team after the goalless draw with rivals Scotland at Euro 2020.

Gareth Southgate’s side won their opening Euros match against Croatia but could not make it two from two after drawing 0-0 with Scotland at Wembley on Friday night.

Both teams spurned chances – Three Lions defender John Stones hit the post with a header and Stephen O’Donnell was denied by a superb Jordan Pickford save – and the stalemate was met with a mixed reception from supporters inside and outside of Wembley.

While Steve Clarke’s side were seen celebrating at the final whistle – knowing victory in their final group match against Croatia will likely send them through to the knockout stages – England’s players were jeered as they left the pitch.

England will almost certainly feature in the next stage of the tournament but fans were underwhelmed by the performance against the third-lowest ranked team at the Euros.

England and Manchester United record goalscorer Rooney, though, has urged fans to ‘get behind’ the team and says booing and jeering will ‘not make anyone play better’.

‘I was at Wembley with my two oldest lads to watch England draw with Scotland and at full time stood and clapped the players off. Around us there were fans booing the team,’ Rooney wrote in a column for The Times.

‘It reminded me of my time playing for England, when we were jeered on more than one occasion – and I can tell you it never helped any individual play better, nor helped the team.

‘I think we, as a country and England supporters, have to get behind our players. Gareth Southgate and his players did not deserve to be booed on Friday.

‘I know, 100 per cent, that they are giving everything to help England do well. Those players are young lads and I know, first hand, how hard it is wearing that England shirt and walking off to boos.

‘Be patient with them. There is plenty of quality in that squad and there is still a good opportunity for England to do something at Euro 2020, so why make their task more difficult?

‘Booing will not make anyone play better. Overreactions are not what we need.

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‘Patience. Let’s get behind this team and stay behind them. There is a lot of pressure playing for England. There is no need to boo.’

While Scotland will bid to reach the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time when they host Croatia at Hampden Park, England can overtake the Czech Republic and win Group D in their final group game on Tuesday evening.

Southgate felt his team were ‘too frantic’ against Scotland but said England needed to ‘stay positive’ as they attempt to win their first European Championships trophy over the next three weeks.

‘We were too frantic and not patient in the right areas of the field,’ Southgate told BBC Sport. ‘It is a performance we know that has to be better.

‘It might be an important point. We wanted to go out there and win and qualify. That’s what we wanted to do and it’s a kick in the teeth because we haven’t done that yet.

‘But we’re staying positive. It’s tournament football and you can’t win every one. There’s going to be a blip along the way and there are other top teams who have drawn games. We just need to stay positive and be ready for Tuesday.’

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