Kai has been tipped to follow in his father's footsteps(Image: JMEnternational/Getty Images)
Kai Rooney made an instant impression on the onlooking Manchester United fans as he marked his Under-18s debut with a goal in a 5-0 thrashing of Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The 15-year-old came off the bench in the second half and rounded out the scoring, adding to his early promise after debuting last weekend against Everton. The striker, son of Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney, has already been turning heads in the United academy.
It was the latest sign of the teenager’s burgeoning talent since he joined the United academy in 2020.
Kai has been turning heads with his clinical finishing and natural attacking instincts.
Earlier this year, he scored a brilliant solo goal for United’s U17s against Real Sociedad, which has been watched over three million times online.
He followed that up with standout performances for the U16s at the Super Cup NI tournament.
His rise has been rapid. In one season at U12 level, Kai scored 56 goals and added 28 assists.
United rewarded his form with a shock promotion, calling him up to the U19 squad for the Mladen Ramljak Memorial Tournament in Croatia and he now looks set to feature regularly for the under-18s, also above the U16s, for whom he still qualifies.
Manchester United's Kai Rooney celebrates scoring his side's fifth goal of the game during the Under 18 Premier League between Manchester United U18s and Middlesbrough U18s(Image: Getty Images)
He has received plenty of guidance from his father, especially on scoring goals and the mentality needed for professional football.
The legendary former striker previously told The Athletic: "He's enjoying it. That's the most important thing.
"He's doing everything he can to try to have a career in football and not just him, my other children as well. They love the game and my advice - to any children - is play to enjoy.
"There's that much pressure when you do get to the professional level and sometimes you forget why you're playing the game. You're playing because you love playing the game and you enjoy playing the game."
Meanwhile, Coleen told the Mirror: “We’ve never pressured them into even playing football. 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 are 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."