Ad shows painted, popular Rooney

Rooney, recovering from a broken bone in his right foot, missed England's opening match in the World Cup, but came on as a substitute to inspire the team to a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.
The Daily Star, one of three British papers paid to run the Nike ad, continued its long-standing tradition of printing photos of bare-breasted women on page 3 Tuesday, but they were upstaged by the two-page centerfold of the Rooney ad with Nike's slogan, "Just do it."
The ad, which also appeared on a 20-by-30 meter (66-by-99 foot) billboard in London alongside the M4 highway at midnight, shows Rooney cheering with his arms outstretched, as if he had just scored a goal.
A vertical line of red paint runs from his face to his belly button, and a horizontal one runs across his chest, from one outstretched arm and clenched fist to another.
The Independent newspaper carried a full-page photo and analysis of the Rooney billboard, calling it "as provocative a statement as the sports shoe manufacturer has produced."
The paper said, "It's the most graphic use of blood in an ad since Benetton's newborn baby" and suggested that the image "plays on the crucifixion."
But Caroline Small, a Nike spokeswoman in London, told The Associated Press that the ad was not intended to have religious connotations.

"Absolutely not. It's just a celebration of Wayne and the unique way he celebrates when he scores a goal, with his arms outstretched and his fists clenched. That suggested England's flag to us. It's not intended to have religious connotations at all," she said.
Small said the company has received no complaints about the ad, just telephone calls from fans who want copies of it.
Rooney, 20, who made his international debut in 2003, is the most exciting English football player to emerge for years, and the Manchester United star now competes with his world famous teammate David Beckham for the honor of being England's No. 1 player.