The wife of Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has insisted that her husband has a "softer side", despite what his public persona suggests.

The 29-year-old has been known to be aggressive on the pitch, but Coleen has claimed that the footballer is completely different away from the game.

"He's a lot softer than anyone thinks because people only see him on the football pitch and the players are usually shouting at each other and trying to tackle each other," Coleen told Reveal magazine.

"People get a certain impression of him, but anyone that knows him knows he's got a softer side."

The couple, who married in 2008, are parents to sons - Kai, five, and one-year-old Klay.