Wayne Rooney has revealed his son Kai's immediate reaction after making his Manchester United Under-18s debut at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup. The 16-year-old came off the bench in the 2-1 fourth-round win over Derby County last week, marking his first appearance at the famous stadium.
Speaking on his BBC podcast, Rooney said Kai's first words on the journey home were: 'The pitch was massive.' The former England captain, however, dispelled the myth that Old Trafford's pitch is larger than other Premier League grounds, noting that it is the same maximum size as many others, but the surroundings make it feel bigger.
Kai joined United's academy at age 11 in 2020 and has been fast-tracked through the ranks. He first played for the Under-18s in August 2025 against Everton, where his father began his career. An injury setback has limited his appearances, but he has consistently impressed when on the pitch.
Wayne and his wife Coleen watched from the directors' box alongside former United midfielder Michael Carrick. Coleen had previously said Kai forbade his father from attending his youth games due to fears of fans mobbing Rooney for autographs, but this was not an issue at Old Trafford.
Rooney described the moment as 'proud,' adding: 'It brought back memories of when I played in the Youth Cup for Everton. Hopefully he continues that and he can have a good run with the team.' Kai is one of four Rooney boys; Klay is also in United's youth system, while Cass is at Everton's academy and Kit has retired from football.
