Wayne Rooney instantly reacts as Macclesfield knock Crystal Palace out of the FA Cup

Wayne Rooney delivered an immediate reaction after watching non-league Macclesfield pull off a historic 2-1 FA Cup upset over holders Crystal Palace, a result already being hailed as one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history. The former England and Manchester United star was in the stands at Moss Rose to support his younger brother John Rooney, who manages the sixth-tier side.

Macclesfield, sitting in the National League North and a massive 117 places below Premier League Palace in the English pyramid, produced a fearless and disciplined display. Captain Paul Dawson headed them in front just before half-time, meeting a superb Luke Duffy free-kick to spark belief among the home crowd. After the interval, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts doubled the lead with a clever finish that wrong-footed Palace keeper Walter Benitez, sending the stadium into delirium.

Rooney’s instant reaction underlined the scale of the achievement, as he praised Macclesfield’s intensity, organisation and bravery on the ball, as well as his brother’s game plan and touchline composure. He highlighted the emotional context too, with the club still grieving the recent death of 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, suggesting the performance was a powerful tribute to their late teammate.

Crystal Palace, who made several changes from their league line-up, only came to life late on, pulling a goal back through a stunning Yeremy Pino free-kick in stoppage time. Macclesfield, however, held firm through a frantic finale. Rooney hailed the resilience shown in those closing minutes, noting how the non-league side matched and at times outplayed top-flight opposition.

The result makes Macclesfield the first non-league team to eliminate the FA Cup holders in over a century, and Rooney’s swift, glowing reaction captured the sense that this was not just a family triumph, but a landmark moment in FA Cup folklore.