Wayne Rooney launched himself into the footballing stratosphere with a debut hat-trick at Old Trafford.

On this evidence, Sir Alex Ferguson would have made a wise investment if he had spent the next two years' transfer budget on the 18-year-old, instead of the bargain £27m which prised him from Everton last month.

Never, in all the years of this illustrious club, can any player have made such a startling start to his career.

Two brutal first-half efforts were followed by an incredible Beckham-esque free-kick seven minutes after the break.

It ensured Rooney left the Theatre of Dreams with a match ball, a place in history and the adoring chants of 60,000 voices ringing in his ears.

Given Sir Alex Ferguson spent the last 24 hours mulling over whether to start with Rooney or not, it appears the Scot made a pretty wise choice.

All those critics who have lined up to write United off already this season may do well to make a swift revision of their conclusions.

Even the briefest glance down the team sheet could have provided plenty of topics for discussion among the home fans.

The introduction of Kleberson, David Bellion and Eric Djemba-Djemba in midfield was accompanied by the return of Gary Neville and the installation of Rio Ferdinand as captain in only the third game of his comeback from an eight-month suspension.

Within 17 minutes, any talking point other than Rooney was rendered completely irrelevant.

The young striker had already made an impressive start to the first European game of his career, even though Fabio Luciano had clearly been detailed to mark him wherever he went.

Luciano stuck gamely to his task for the first quarter of an hour but he surely will not be the first unfortunate defender to discover tracking Rooney for an entire game is an almost impossible task.

Ryan Giggs had already put the hosts in front when he rose to glide Kleberson's excellent cross into the corner when Ruud van Nistelrooy delivered a killer ball right into the heart of the Fener defence.

There, 25 yards out, completely unmarked was Rooney. In front of 67,000 expectant fans and millions at home on TV, he showed the maturity of someone twice his age as strode on to the pass before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Rustu Recber.

The Turkish goalkeeper had been so dismissive of United's chances before the game but he obviously had not seen much of Rooney.

He did not see much of the England star's next shot either as it flew low to his left to put the hosts 3-0 up.

Rooney had been left with slightly more to do this time after taking Giggs' square ball but after dancing past Umit Ozat, he created enough room for the thunderbolt effort which Rustu watched fly into his goal.

If Rooney had been able to divert a shot from Gary Neville's low cross on target, he might have had a match ball to accompany his half-time tea.

As it was, the Merseysider had to wait until seven minutes after the restart to execute the goal that will enshrine him in Old Trafford folklore no matter what happens during the remainder of his career.

There was a certain symmetry about the goal too, considering Rooney is on the verge of eclipsing David Beckham as the most talked-about English player on the planet.

At the same end, and roughly the same spot from which Beckham delivered the miracle free-kick that sent England to the World Cup in 2002, Rooney matched the achievement to complete his hat-trick.

The swarm of United shirts that gathered around the Fenerbahce penalty area after van Nistelrooy had been fouled hinted that there were a few interested parties.

In truth, Rustu had only Rooney to worry about and even with advance warning he got nowhere near making a save as the ball bulged into the net behind him.

Around Rooney's spectacular entrance there was virtually another match going on, in which United were forced to withstand heavy Fenerbahce bombardment.

Marcio Nobre and Tuncay Sanli scored after Rooney's second and third efforts.

But just as it looked like United would suffer an astonishing change in fortune, van Nistelrooy popped up to net his customary European goal before Bellion added a sixth.

That was the other game though. Rooney was the only participant in the one that mattered.