Coleen Rooney has spoken about how her oldest son deals with life at Manchester United
Kai Rooney, Coleen Rooney and Wayne Rooney
The Rooneys try to keep pressure off their sons(Image: Anthony Devlin, Getty Images for Disney+)
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Coleen Rooney has opened up about how her footballer son, Kai, copes with being the child of Manchester United legend Wayne.
Both Kai and his younger sibling Klay are part of United's academy system. At 16, Kai has reached the same age Wayne was when he burst onto the scene with a spectacular first-team debut for Everton in 2002.
While he's not quite prepared for the step up to Premier League football, he's edging closer to the United senior squad, having recently progressed to Darren Fletcher's under-18s side. Earlier this season, he made his playing bow at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup. Unsurprisingly, he's frequently questioned about how his talents compare to Wayne's.
Rather than being irritated by the constant comparisons, Coleen says he handles it with ease. She told The Times: "He's lived it from a young age.
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"When we used to go to matches when he was younger, he'd get a lot of people coming up saying, 'Oh, are you Wayne Rooney's son?' But he's strong-minded, always has been. I've got no worries in the way he deals with it."
Having been together since their youth, the parents are at least familiar with what lies ahead should Kai break through. Coleen explained: "It's nice that we know what to expect.
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 Rooney is climbing the ranks at Old Trafford(Image: Anthony Devlin/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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"And we can try to guide him. Obviously, it's his life, his passion. He can decide what he wants to do. But I think it's good we've got the knowledge."
In a previous interview, Coleen disclosed what Kai tells people when they enquire about Wayne. She explained: "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."
Kai Rooney and Wayne Rooney
Kai Rooney is used to questions about his legendary dad(Image: JMEnternational/Getty Images)
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The couple have placed no expectations on their sons to pursue football, with one choosing to stop playing at the age of eight. She added: "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."