Birmingham City youngster Lorenzo Greer, who goes by Tekkerz Kid on YouTube with 1.7 million followers, had a game to forget against Man United
Kai Rooney
Kai Rooney scored the sixth goal for Manchester United U18s in the win over Birmingham City.
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Manchester United and Kai Rooney got one over Birmingham City's young talent Lorenzo Greer, who boasts more YouTube followers than football star Kylian Mbappe, in their recent match. The 16-year-old Blues midfielder, known as Tekkerz Kid on YouTube, has amassed an impressive 1.7 million followers and over 480 million views.
Greer's YouTube channel, established by his parents Nathan and Tara a decade ago due to the high cost of football boots for their son, has charted his journey from grassroots football to Birmingham City's academy. Initially intended for boot reviews in hopes of securing a few free pairs, the channel has since documented his aspirations of turning professional.
Having already met football luminaries such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jude Bellingham, and even Mbappe himself, Greer is keen to carve out his own path in the sport.
Despite starting for Birmingham's Under-18s team in a match against Manchester United, it was the home side that triumphed with a resounding 6-0 victory in the Under-18 Premier League Cup, ensuring they finished Group G with maximum points.
United's prodigy JJ Gabriel featured in the match, as did Wayne Rooney's son Kai, who netted the sixth goal of the afternoon for Darren Fletcher's team.
Kai Rooney of Manchester United U18s celebrates scoring their sixth goal during the English U18 Premier League Cup between Manchester United U18 v Birmingham City U18
Kai Rooney of Manchester United U18s shoots at goal
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Kai Rooney of Manchester United U18s celebrates scoring their sixth goal during the English U18 Premier League Cup between Manchester United U18 v Birmingham City U18
Kai Rooney celebrates scoring for Manchester United U18 on his return from injury
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It was a disappointing day for Greer, making his first start of the season in defensive midfield and playing two years above his age group after signing a scholarship earlier this summer.
Despite this, the young player remains undeterred, having experienced a remarkable rise. Greer is an Under Armour athlete and had the opportunity to meet PSG defender Achraf Hakimi during his trip to Paris.
Greer appears to be the latest prodigy to emerge from the Birmingham City academy, following in the footsteps of Jude and Jobe Bellingham, who are now making their mark at top European clubs.
Although he has yet to make his first-team debut for Birmingham City, Greer already enjoys celebrity status in the city due to his social media following and aspires to emulate Jude's success.
In a chat with SunSport, Greer expressed his astonishment at his rapid rise: "It's crazy and doesn't seem real. We never thought it would get this big.
"My parents were in a chip shop and had this cool idea, 'Lorenzo likes football, why don't we put some videos out showing how good he is?'".
"We got about 50 views at first. Then more and more people started watching and we've just carried it on."
Through his social media platform, Greer has met several high-profile figures from the football world, but his ultimate goal is to follow in Jude Bellingham's footsteps.
"Jude is an inspiration as someone from Birmingham and living proof it's possible to make it," he said. "I've met him a few times - at St George's Park, in the city or even at the training ground when he was here.
"Jude is down to earth, humble and speaks to you like a normal person. It was mad to see him playing for Birmingham at 16, starting games and scoring goals. It was sick.
"Players like Bellingham, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who hit such a high level in their teens, are almost like one in a billion. You cannot compare yourself to people like that because they don't come along at that age very often.
"Jude told me, 'Keep playing your game and stay humble.' So I've got to do that, keep working hard and let my football do the talking. My end goal is to be a pro footballer."
At just 16 years old, the young talent has launched his own football academy and harbours aspirations of earning his coaching badges in the future.