Right before the beginning of a World Cup, what does a football team do when it discovers that their key player is injured?

Nothing much can be done about it, right?

In 2006, just about two months before football fever was scheduled to grip the world, there was news that Wayne Rooney had broken two metatarsals in his right foot. A metatarsal fracture usually takes about 3-4 four months to completely recover meaning he would not be available for playing until August-September 2006.

But Wayne Rooney did play!

How?

He made use of new technology at Manchester United’s club centre, known as the Oxygen Chamber. Believe it or not, he played in the World Cup.