Rooneys: 'Extreme pain' after sex claims

Published Sep. 10, 2010 7:40 p.m. ET

foxsports

England striker Wayne Rooney and his wife broke their silence over his alleged infidelities on Friday, appealing for privacy after enduring what they called an "extremely painful" week.

Tabloid newspapers reported Sunday that Rooney cheated repeatedly on his then-pregnant wife Coleen last year with a prostitute, leading to daily front and backpage stories about the Manchester United player's private life.

"The last six days have been extremely painful for us and for our families," the Rooneys said in a statement. "It is impossible for us, as it would be for any family, to attempt to resolve any issues in the current media glare and against the backdrop of so many inaccurate and intrusive stories.

"We would therefore ask that the media now respects our privacy and the right of our family to discuss these matters in private."

Rooney put the scandal behind him on Tuesday, scoring his first goal for England in a year to help the team beat Switzerland 3-1 in a European Championship qualifier.

The Rooneys married in June 2008 on the Italian Riviera and sold the photo rights to the ceremony to OK! celebrity magazine. Their first son Kai was born in November.

The childhood sweethearts from Liverpool have cultivated their fame to become one of Britain's leading celebrity couples. Coleen has her own TV series and magazine column, and is currently in TV advertisements for home-shopping retailer Littlewoods.

The Rooneys' statement came two days after the parents of the 21-year-old woman at the center of the tabloid reports publicly apologized to Coleen and said they "would never condone what has or may have happened."

Rooney is expected to receive a hostile reception on Saturday when Manchester United plays at Everton - the Premier League rival he left in 2004.

United manager Alex Ferguson refused to discuss the allegations on Friday.

"Let's put it to bed straightaway - I am not discussing any of my players' personal lives," Ferguson told a news conference.