Kai Rooney aims to emulate his father Wayne’s career at Manchester United, but this will come with some challenges. The 16-year-old has progressed through the Old Trafford academy and has already made two appearances and scored one goal for the Under-18s.
However, the teenager was forced to deal with various issues early in his career due to Wayne’s fame. The retired United star is an icon of English football, winning many major honors during his playing days and shining for his country in countless international tournaments. Living up to the Rooney name will be a tall order for Kai, but even though he’s not yet on the same stage as his father, he’s already shining brightly.
Here, Express Football details just some of the hurdles Kai has overcome during his time at United, including a suspension for his famous footballer father.
Wayne Rooney banned from United
Kai banned his own father from watching the game because he attracted attention on the sideline. The club did not enforce the ban, but did allow the teenager to tell his father that he would not be attending the match because fans spent more time asking for pictures than watching the team play.
Kai’s mother Coleen revealed the ban while appearing on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! The 39-year-old highlighted the difficulties faced by his family due to Wayne’s fame on and off the pitch.
“I think kids are like that. It’s hard to be out for days at a time. Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games because when we had grassroots tournaments and stuff, we always crowded around and couldn’t even watch the games.”
“How can you say to all these kids, ‘Come out, I’m watching my son?'” Adult, no, you can tell them, and he just said, “Oh, Dad, you’re not even watching me play anyway, so there’s no point in you coming.” That’s sad, but it can’t be helped anyway. At the same time, your fans help you along the way and get you this far. ”
Kai suspended from Man United
Despite being the son of a United icon, Kai receives no special treatment from the club. This includes the stipulations of the historic academy. The teenager signed a contract with Puma in 2022 when he was just 12 years old, allowing him to wear Puma boots, but he was not allowed to wear them during U16 matches.
“The whole academy has to wear the same boots, which I think is really good because there are people in the area who can’t afford certain boots. But he’s played a few times for the U18s and then he can wear the Puma boots. To be fair to him, he’s done well.”
Wayne is pleased that Kai is treated as an equal among his academy colleagues, as it sets a good example for rising stars before they take on the world of first-class football in the future. A recent injury denied the young forward his chance to become an immediate force, but he has since rejoined the team and is on his way to stardom.
In a recent interview with Talent Hunter on Instagram, Kai spoke clearly about his future plans. When asked where he sees himself in five years, he replied, “Playing on the biggest stage among the best players and winning trophies.”
