Wayne Rooney had to persuade Jamie Vardy to “cool down” his wife Rebekah.

The Derby manager was approached by then-gaffer Roy Hogdson and assistant manager Gary Neville, who were both England captains at the time.

Rebekah Vardy had been the subject of “bad media publicity” and “problems,” according to Wayne.

“They asked me, as captain, would I be able to speak to Mr Vardy on concerns affecting his wife, and I think we all understood that it was a delicate subject,” he said the High Court during the Wagatha Christie trial.

I’d need to communicate with Mr Vardy and ask him to speak with his wife and to tell her to calm down.”

For the talk, Wayne claimed he sat in the games room and drank coffee with Jamie, who was drinking a can of Red Bull.

“It was an awkward situation for me, and I’m sure it was an awkward one for Mr Vardy,” he said, “but I believed it was in the team’s best interests.”

Rebekah was “nearly there with the team” during “down time,” according to the ex-Manchester United star, who was on Facetime with Jamie during the tournament in France.

Wayne also admitted that he and his Three Lions comrade have never been “especially friendly.”

The disclosures occurred as Jamie sat yards away from his former teammate in court for the first time, supporting Rebekah.

After Coleen claimed Rebekah, 39, of leaking stories to the press, Wayne was drawn into the Wagatha feud.

He added today that he “didn’t want to get involved,” but that Coleen’s ordeal has been “very terrible.”

“I’ve watched my wife battle with everything that’s gone on over the past two, two and a half years… become a different mother, a different wife,” Wayne continued.

“This isn’t something we want to be a part of,” my wife says. “Hopefully, whatever the judgment is, my wife and our children can get on with their lives.”

It comes as Coleen said yesterday that their 14-year marriage hasn’t always been easy.

Rebekah’s lawyer, Hugh Tomlinson QC, referred to Wayne’s 2017 drink-driving charge, in which he was discovered driving a party girl’s car.

The barrister said their relationship was in “another apparent crisis” and that the ex-Manchester United star had been “misbehaving.”