Kai Rooney is following in his father Wayne's footsteps at Manchester United's academy
Manchester United's Kai Rooney and Middlesbrough's Tyler Smith 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 Rooney banned his own dad from United grounds(Image: Anthony Devlin/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Kai Rooney is aiming to follow in his father Wayne Rooney's footsteps at Manchester United despite facing some setbacks in recent times.
The 16-year-old is progressing through the academy ranks and has already made two appearances for the U18s, scoring once. However, the youngster has had to navigate several challenges in his early career due to his father's high-profile status.
Wayne, now retired, was a titan of English football, winning many trophies during his tenure and representing England in several international tournaments.
Living up to the Rooney legacy will be no small feat for Kai, but he's already making his mark, albeit not yet on the same scale as his father.
Here, outlines some of the obstacles Kai has faced during his time at United, including an unusual ban involving his famous father.
Wayne Rooney barred from Carrington
Kai made the decision to ban his own dad from attending his matches due to the excessive attention he drew on the sidelines. This wasn't a club-imposed restriction; rather, it was the teenager's choice to inform his dad that he wouldn't be watching his games, as fans were more focused on snapping pictures than watching the game.
The ban was revealed by Kai's mum, Coleen, during her stint on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2024. The 39-year-old shed light on the difficulties the family has encountered due to Wayne's fame both on and off the pitch.
Wayne is banned from watching his son play
Wayne is banned from watching his son play(Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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She 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."
Kai's Man United ban
Despite being the son of a United legend, Kai receives no preferential treatment from the club - including when it comes to the academy's longstanding rules. The youngster signed a deal with Puma in 2022, aged just 12, to wear their boots, yet he wasn't permitted to do so during U16s matches.
Speaking about the club's rigid guidelines on The Smith Brothers: Not A Podcast, father Wayne said: "He's obviously with Puma but when he plays for the Manchester United U16s, something which I really like is he can't wear his Puma boots.
Wayne Rooney of Everton sits with his son, Kai.
Kai is aiming to follow in Wayne's footsteps(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images)
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"All the academy have to wear the same boots. They do it because there's people from areas where they can't afford certain boots so I think it's really good. But he's played for the U18s a few times and he can then wear his Puma boots. He's doing well to be fair to him."
Kai receiving equal treatment alongside his academy teammates is something that pleases Wayne, as it provides an excellent foundation for the rising talent ahead of his eventual venture into elite football.
A recent setback through injury derailed the young striker's opportunity to make a bigger impact, though he has now returned to action and is setting his sights on achieving greatness.
During a recent chat with The Talent Hunter on Instagram, Kai was clear about his future ambitions. When questioned about where he sees himself in five years' time, he said: "Playing on the biggest stage amongst the best players, winning trophies."