English football star Wayne Rooney was arrested in December at Dulles Airport outside Washington, DC, for public intoxication, according to local police.
Rooney, who has played for US soccer team DC United since last year, was booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on Dec 16, on a charge of public intoxication stemming from an arrest by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police, the local sheriff's office said.
The English footballer was arrested at an international arrivals gate at Dulles after he triggered a door alarm but did not breach airport security, a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesperson said in a statement.
He received a US$25 fine, according to court documents.
Rooney, 33, was released later the same day on a personal recognisance bond, said Kraig Troxell, a spokesman for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
It was not immediately clear why authorities had delayed releasing details of Rooney's arrest for more than two weeks. Rooney's agent could not be reached immediately for comment.
"We are aware of news reports indicating that Wayne Rooney was arrested in December," DC United said in a statement obtained by the Washington Post. "We understand the media's interest in this matter but believe this is a private matter for Wayne that DC United will handle internally."
DC United did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rooney, England's former captain and all-time top scorer, joined the Major League Soccer club in mid-2018 in a deal that was reportedly worth more than US$12 million (RM49 million), and which made him the highest paid player in DC United's history.
Liverpool-born Rooney was the latest addition to an elite list of former England captains to cross the Atlantic, following David Beckham and Steven Gerrard.
Rooney burst into the consciousness of English soccer when he made his Premier League debut for Everton at age 16.
He joined Manchester United for US$35 million in 2004 and stayed there for 13 seasons – winning five English titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup, three League Cups, and becoming the club's all-time leading scorer with 253 goals.
He earned 119 caps for England – a national record for an outfield player – and in 2015 he surpassed Manchester United great Bobby Charlton's England goalscoring record, ending his international career with 53 goals for his country.
- Reuters
