Wayne Rooney to discuss mental health in new documentary

Wayne Rooney is currently managing Championship strugglers Derby County

Former England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will open up about his mental health and provide an insight into some big moments in his career during an upcoming documentary.

Rooney, now manager of Derby County, will discuss moments that have led him making headlines on and off the pitch.

"I want people to have a better understanding of me as a person really," Rooney, 35, said.

"I wanted to be honest and touch on everything that has happened in my life, which is important.

"If I do it and I am not honest or I don't speak about things, it wouldn't be real, so it was about me coming out and people seeing me and my family for who we are, and not what is being portrayed of us as a family."

Rooney, England and Manchester United's all-time top scorer, ended his 19-year playing career earlier this year. In the documentary, the former Everton striker details the difficulties he had at times dealing with the pressures of playing at the top.

"People talk about mental health - at the time, I did see someone at times," Rooney added.

"It is about realising what was going through your head and trying to cope with the pressure of playing for Manchester United and trying to be successful, playing for your country, then captaining your country and taking a lot of that pressure on as well. They will get a real insight into what was going on inside my head.

"There has been a lot of stuff over the last 20 years that has been well publicised and I felt it was important people saw me behind the scenes as a family man, and what it was like growing up in a very tough area in Liverpool.

"This film gives everyone an insight into it."