Wayne Rooney has admitted that watching his sons play football can be challenging because of the attention he attracts. The 40-year-old, Manchester United's record goalscorer and formerly England's all-time top scorer, said he has to be mentally ready to pose for pictures when attending his children's games.
Kai Rooney's Rise at Manchester United
His eldest son Kai, 16, is closest to following in his footsteps after earning a scholarship at United this summer. Kai has risen through the club's academy and made his Premier League 2 debut for the U21 side earlier this month. He was one of eight prospects, alongside United manager Michael Carrick's son Jacey, to sign scholarship forms at Old Trafford.
The young forward followed his U21 debut with a goal for United's U18s and has also made his UEFA Youth League debut for the U19s this term.
Banned From Watching
Kai's mother Coleen previously revealed that their eldest son had banned Wayne from attending his games because of the attention he attracted. Wayne has now explained how he copes with the situation.
“When the kids go to football tournaments and there are going to be lots of parents there, I know I’m going to be ambushed,” Rooney said to the Guardian. “So I have to be ready mentally to take pictures with people, and do it with a smile on my face when all you want to do really is watch your kid play.”
After it was highlighted that others may refuse to pose for photos, he added: “No, I do pictures because I remember when I was a kid being a fan and going for autographs.”
Coleen's 2024 Revelation
In 2024, during her time as an I’m a Celebrity… contestant, Coleen disclosed that Kai had asked his dad not to attend his games. However, Wayne chose to ignore the ban when the teenager made his Old Trafford debut in the FA Youth Cup at the start of the year.
“Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games, when he played grassroots [football] tournaments and stuff because he used to get swarmed and he couldn’t even watch the game,” Coleen explained in 2024. “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 [Kai] 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. At the same time the fans help you along the way and get you where you are.”
Supporting Kai's Own Legacy
Away from the pitch, the family have recently been in the spotlight as part of The Real Rooneys docuseries. The former United star shared his thoughts on Kai pursuing a career at his old club before the 16-year-old had earned his scholarship.
“Kai wants his own legacy, and I'll be there to support him,” Wayne said on The Real Rooneys. “What I don't want is him to get a scholarship or get a contract because of me.
“I want it to be because of him in his own right. It's something he's wanted for a long time, so [I'll] be proud, really proud of him to get a scholarship.”
