He posted a photo of himself wearing United jersey bottoms and football boots. “Running back,” Rooney wrote on his Instagram Story alongside the image.
This is a far more encouraging message than his post acknowledging that his season as a Reds youngster is over. He wrote, “It’s a shame to miss the rest of the season. I’ll be back stronger next preseason.”
This is not the first time Rooney has been seriously injured. In September 2025, immediately after scoring a wonderful volley for the Under-18s, he was selected for the Under-19s despite playing against young players much older than himself.
Nevertheless, he subsequently suffered a foot injury, which he confirmed by posting a photo of himself wearing a protective boot on his right foot. “Life can’t get any worse than this,” he wrote in the caption, along with a crying emoji, sparking considerable sympathy across the football world.
This was a huge shame as he had attracted a lot of attention when he played for the Reds’ youth team in the Super Cup held in Northern Ireland last summer. It would have been a heart-wrenching moment for the Rooney family, given that his legendary father also played in the same competition when he was an Everton player.
In an earlier interview with BBC Sport, Rooney senior made it clear there was no pressure on his son. “I just let him play. I think they started the game well and we won 3-0 and he scored a penalty and got an assist. So I think it was a good start. He just plays and that’s all he did while he was playing.”
“I think it’s very unfair to expect everything from him. He’s just playing, a 15-year-old boy enjoying his football. Of course he gets different attention from a lot of his teammates, but I think he handles it really well.”
“I have a stand-off approach because we have a great coach at Manchester United. I have spoken to him, but for me it’s all about his mentality and mindset and making sure he continues to enjoy himself is the most important thing for me.”
