Hundreds of thousand fans from all over the world voted for the award, which was created to celebrate the 20th season of the Premier League.
“I grew up watching the Premier League so to be voted the best goal in the history of the Premier League is a great feeling,” Rooney said.
“There’s so many good goals in that shortlist, goals that I watched in my living room as a kid: Alan Shearer’s goal, Paolo Di Canio’s, Tony Yeboah’s, David Beckham’s.
“To be competing with them and winning is a great honour for me and something I’m very proud of. I’d like to say a big thank you to all the fans that voted for me.”
Rooney’s spectacular strike in February 2011 received 26% of the vote.
Dennis Bergkamp (19%) was second for his 2002 goal at Newcastle, and Thierry Henry (15%) against Manchester United was third.
(Watch all three goals below, along with David Beckham’s 1996-97 effort against Wimbledon, which the Goal of the 10 Seasons Award in 2002).
It’s a pity Papiss Cisse’s double against Chelsea at the weekend was scored too late for voting, as the second may have figured somewhere. (We’ve put that below for you to watch, too).
