'Is he related to Mickey?': DC sports fans struggle to identify Wayne Rooney

A survey conducted at a Washington Nationals games showed the former England captain is not quite at Beckham levels of fame in his new home

This started with a question about soccer in America. Or maybe it was really a question about fame. Now that Wayne Rooney, one of the world’s most-renowned soccer players, has signed with DC United, would Washington sports fans recognize him? When told who he was, would they know his name? 

Despite a boom over the past 25 years, soccer remains a fringe sport for many Americans. Around the world, photographers besiege Rooney; his face is splashed across magazine covers, television, the internet. He is accustomed to being mobbed. His arrival last week at Dulles Airport drew a throng of supporters. But those were passionate soccer fans. What about the rest of Washington, a city still celebrating the Stanley Cup championship of their hockey team, the Capitals, and a place where passions have always been highest for the local NFL franchise? How big is Rooney’s star in his new home? 

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