Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney is a secret history buff who is "obsessed" with second world war documentary series 'The World at War'.
Rooney's interest in history has been revealed by football writer Henry Winter, who visited Auschwitz with the England squad ahead of Euro 2012 when Roy Hodgson's men were based in Poland.
During the trip, Rooney is said to have "asked the most perceptive questions" of the group's tour guide. And when Winter asked how Rooney was so knowledgable about the second world war, the striker revealed he was "obsessed" with 'The World at War'.
The documentary is a 26-part series narrated by legendary actor Laurence Olivier which details the events of the conflict. "I've been to Auschwitz and Auschwitz II-Birkenau five times, each visit as grim as the last," Winter wrote in the Spectator.
"Nothing prepares you for the evil inside. It's vital to go, to learn, to pay your respects, to never forget. It was important when Wayne Rooney and some of the England players left their Euro 2012 base in nearby Krakow to visit. Footballers should step out of their bubble.
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"Rooney asked the most perceptive questions of our guide, including how could the camp director step outside the gates and lead a normal family life having inflicted such horrors (a theme recently depicted in The Zone of Interest)?
"On the bus back to Krakow, I asked Rooney how he knew so much about the second world war. He said he was obsessed with The World at War series narrated by Laurence Olivier. I'm biased, but there's invariably more hinterland to footballers than perceived."
Speaking at the time, Rooney said of the visit: "It's hard to understand, so tough. When you see the amount of children's clothes and shoes, it's such a sad experience. You have to see it first-hand to understand, and of course it puts football into perspective.
"It will never be forgotten. We know that kids nowadays are interested in footballers, and if a few more people understand what happened because we came here today then that has to be good."
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