Wayne Rooney to Luciano Acosta: An oral history of one of MLS’s most viral plays

When FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta visits Audi Field this Sunday, he’ll see a familiar face on the opposing sideline: that of Wayne Rooney, his former teammate at D.C. United. 

For a brief spell in 2018 and 2019, Acosta and Rooney formed one of the more memorable attacking partnerships in league history. In Acosta, D.C. had a tiny dynamo whose flashy feet were reminiscent of some of the club’s all-time greats. In Rooney, they had one of the greatest attacking players in the history of the sport. Together, the two seemed unstoppable, sure to carve their names into the annals of club history.

But it wasn’t meant to be. Rooney left the club less than 18 months after joining it, bound for England and, eventually, a career in coaching that has led him back to the U.S. capital to take charge at United. Acosta moved on, too, first to Mexico and then to Cincy, where he’s rediscovered his form in 2022 as one of the league’s elite playmakers. 

When fans see the two together, though, they’ll surely be reminded of one singular moment. It’s a play — you know the one — that’s probably the most memorable one in DCU history, at least in terms of sheer madness. On August 12th, 2018, Acosta and Rooney combined for a goal that, for a brief moment, thrust MLS into the international spotlight and propelled D.C. United on a memorable run to the playoffs.

“The behind-the-scenes of that play, when I watch it, I laugh,” said Ben Olsen, who was then on the sideline as D.C. United head coach. “From the outside, a play happens and you focus in on one thing or the coach or player gets the credit, or whatever, but there are so many things sometimes that play into a game, or even just a play or a set piece.”

This is the story of that moment, told by the players, coaches and personalities that lived it.