Wayne Rooney has challenged former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher to a boxing match, revealing his interest in returning to the ring.

The former Manchester United striker made the call-out during an appearance on boxing promoter Frank Warren’s TikTok account, using the opportunity to target his former England teammate and fierce Liverpool rival.

“I’d love to face Carragher, so you can tell him that. Cara, I’d love to face you in the ring,” Rooney said.

The 41-year-old’s challenge comes amid renewed attention on his long-standing passion for boxing, a sport he believes played an important role in his development as a young footballer.

Rooney reflects on boxing influence

Rooney recently returned to Croxteth Amateur Boxing Club, which was founded and is run by his uncle Richie Rooney, to celebrate local boxing talents Jack Turner and Oliver Jones.

The former England captain revealed that he remained passionate about the sport despite being forced to abandon boxing at the age of 15 by Everton officials.

Speaking in an interview published by Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, Rooney said: “I love boxing. I love watching boxing. But I wasn’t good enough to go down that road. This is where I belong”.

He also credited boxing with helping him develop physically before breaking into Everton’s first team at 16.

“I always think my ability to play for Everton at 16, boxing was a big part of that. It helped me grow my legs and my muscles. You need that for your strength,” he added.

Boxing speculation follows Rooney for years

Rooney’s interest in boxing has previously attracted attention, particularly after former Manchester United teammate Phil Bardsley famously knocked him out during a training session at his home in 2015.

The incident became widely publicised, prompting Rooney to pretend to collapse while celebrating a goal against Tottenham shortly afterwards.

There have also been previous suggestions of a potential celebrity boxing appearance. KSI’s Misfits Boxing organisation reportedly approached Rooney two years ago, while former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny challenged him to a fight last year. Neither opportunity resulted in a bout.

Before any possible move into the ring, Rooney is expected to appear on the television programme I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! later this year.

He is reportedly set to earn a six-figure fee for the appearance, following his wife Coleen’s participation in the 2024 series, where she finished as runner-up.