Kai Rooney recently made his first appearance at Old Trafford for Manchester United U18s but the young footballer has previously spent time at other clubs
Wayne and Coleen Rooney allowed son Kai to make his own decisions about his football career(Image: Anthony Devlin, Getty Images for Disney+)
Wayne and Coleen Rooney were full of pride last week as they saw their eldest son Kai walking in his father’s footsteps. The 16-year-old made his Old Trafford debut for Manchester United U18s during a 2-1 triumph over Derby County in the FA Youth Cup.
It’s been over 20 years since Wayne joined United in 2004, later becoming the club’s greatest-ever goalscorer with 253 goals in 559 appearances. When he hung up his boots in 2021, he also held the distinction of being England’s all-time top scorer.
With his dad having carved out such a remarkable legacy, Kai’s young career naturally invites comparison. Yet Wayne and Coleen have always been mindful of the pressure their sons would face and refused to force football upon them.
That is why Kai was allowed to sign for Manchester City aged seven, having admitted he wasn’t enjoying himself at United. He ultimately left City when Wayne relocated to America to play for DC United. The teenager would then rejoin United in 2020, although his Old Trafford debut represented a rare chance for their club legend to see his son play.
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“Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games when he played grassroots tournaments and stuff, because he used to get swarmed, and he couldn’t even watch the game,” Coleen said on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here in 2024. “How do you say to all of these kids, ‘Go away, I’m watching my son?’
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“Adults, it’s different, you could speak to them, so he just said, ‘Oh, dad, there’s no point you coming because you don’t even watch me play anyway.’ Which is sad, but it can’t be helped.”
Kai made his United U18s debut as a 15-year-old earlier this season. Last week, he began the FA Youth Cup clash on the bench, entering during extra time as Darren Fletcher’s team progressed with a 2-1 victory.
Wayne and Coleen were spotted snapping pictures as Kai stepped onto the field. Having previously walked the pitch with his father during laps of honour, he is now carving out his own path at the club.
Kai Rooney will hope to make many more appearances at Old Trafford(Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Following the Derby fixture, Wayne shared an image of himself with a young Kai on social media. His caption read: “Then and now. Proud of you, Kai.”
Kai’s parents sat alongside first team interim boss Michael Carrick, whose son also plays for United’s academy. Wayne has recently spoken out about the importance of the club’s youth set-up, having criticised former United boss Ruben Amorim’s methods.
Kai has been raised in the public eye and became a Puma ambassador at 12. Coleen has previously outlined her and Wayne’s strategy for raising young footballers and shared how their eldest reacts to being compared with his father.
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“We’ve never pressured them into even playing football,” Coleen told the Mirror in September 2024. “We’ve always just let them decide what they want to do. My eight-year-old was playing and doing really well but then decided he didn’t want to, and that’s OK.
“I think they sometimes get pressure off other people, you know. People approach them now and then if we’re out, they do say, ‘Are you as good as your dad?’
“Kai says, ‘I’m a different type of player.’ You’ve got to let them know that you don’t have to follow and to be your own person.”
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