Kai Rooney is aiming to follow in his dad's footsteps at Manchester United, but an injury has caused a major setback for the 15-year-old son of Wayne and Coleen
Wayne Rooney, Kai Rooney and Coleen Rooney during Nordoff Robbins' Legends of Football at JW Marriott Grosvenor House on October 07, 2024 in London, England.
Kai Rooney has been supported well by his parents, Wayne and Coleen
Kai Rooney has been shooting up the ladder at Manchester United, with the aim of following in his dad's footsteps at Old Trafford. The 15-year-old is the son of Red Devils icon Wayne Rooney, who won a multitude of major trophy at the club during his legendary career.
He was recently called up to United's under-19s squad after impressing in the under-18s, scoring a heroic volley that attracted the attention of the more senior squads. The eldest son of Wayne and Coleen joined the United academy in 2016, and has been a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.
The young right-winger has only made two appearances in the U18 Premier League, scoring one goal in 35 minutes of playing time - but he did score 56 goals in one season for the youth set-up. However, any hope of a sharper ascent to the top will be paused for now, as he'll be spending some time out of action.
This is thanks to an unknown leg injury that Kai recently sustained. The severity of the leg issue or how long it will stop him playing is unclear, but his own feelings suggest it may be a while before he steps foot onto the pitch again.
He uploaded a mirror selfie where a protective boot can be seen on his right foot, alongside the caption "life can't get worse" with a crying emoji. While Rooney fans will be saddened by the news, Kai's parents, Wayne and Coleen, will likely be supporting him well given the insider knowledge his father has of dealing with injuries while playing at a top level.
Despite Wayne being a Premier League icon and the perfect role model for his son, it was revealed that he is actually banned from attending his child's matches. This rule wasn't put into place by the club or any manager, but rather by Kai himself, as explained by Coleen during her stint on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! last year.
Manchester United's Kai Rooney in action during the Under 18 Premier League between Manchester United U18s and Middlesbrough U18s at Carrington Training Ground on August 23, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Kai has been making great strides in United colours(Image: Anthony Devlin/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Kai Rooney wearing a protective boot in a mirror selfie
Kai's post would make any football fan feel sorry for him
During her time in the jungle, the 39-year-old discussed her son's difficult yet selfless choice with her fellow campmates and how it was made to benefit his career in the long run. Coleen said: "That's the thing with kids I think, it's hard to go on days out.
"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. How do you say to all of these kids, 'Go away, I'm watching my son?'
"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 anyway. At the same time, the fans help you along the way and get you where you are."
Wayne Rooney and Kai Rooney attend day 12 of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 08, 2022 in London, England.
The 15-year-old has actually banned his father Wayne from attending his games
However, it isn't just Wayne's presence that affects Kai while he is playing, as the 15-year-old often dodges verbal abuse from opposition players regarding his dad. During an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast, Coleen recalled a moment where Kai missed a penalty in a tournament - and blamed it on his dad.
She said: "A few years ago, I remember my son Kai took a penalty at St George’s Park, where we were for a tournament. It went to penalties, Kai stepped up and just skied it.
"Afterwards I asked him how he could take a penalty like that, and he told me he was just fuming as the goalkeeper was saying, 'Your dad’s s***', and he got dead angry.
Manchester United's Kai Rooney scores his side's fifth goal of the game during the Under 18 Premier League between Manchester United U18s and Middlesbrough U18s at Carrington Training Ground on August 23, 2025 in Manchester, England.
There's high hopes the teenager can emulate his father's success
"It doesn’t happen to him very often, but it did then, and you can see in some games where they give you a little push. He’s strong-minded though and usually shrugs it off."
While it is clear that being the son of such a Premier League powerhouse could be a lot of pressure for a teenage football starlet, Kai has proven in recent times that he is able to handle it with ease. It's likely he'll be itching to return from injury and continue on in the same path he has carved out so far.
United fans will assume that if his father's achievements are anything to go by in terms of premonitions, then they have a real talent on their hands in the Carrington academy.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.