Wayne Rooney sits near the top of Manchester United’s all-time legends list, and now his son Kai is starting to make his own mark in the club’s youth ranks.
Fans who followed football in the 2000s will remember how underappreciated he was at times, even while putting together a career worthy of world-class recognition.
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And there aren’t many signs that it will be broken any time soon. But Kai Rooney is starting to build a name for himself in United’s academy, featuring this week for their Super Cup NI squad over in Northern Ireland.
The 15-year-old found the net and set up another goal in the opening match, and on Tuesday, Wayne was spotted in Coleraine watching his eldest son line up against Rangers.
Wayne Rooney shares thoughts on son Kai’s growth at United
Rooney was in attendance for the match, which saw Douka Nkoto net a brace in what turned out to be an impressive showing for United.
Speaking with the BBC after the game, the former club captain spoke about Kai’s progress and mentioned that he’s been focused on helping his son with the mental side of the game.
“He has great coaches at Manchester United, so I take a stand off approach,” Rooney said. “I speak to him, but for me it’s all about his mentality and his mindset, to make sure he keeps enjoying it – that’s the main thing for me.”
The article added that Rooney said Kai handles the pressure of following in his footsteps well and said the 15-year-old takes everything in his stride.
While Wayne has spoken positively about Kai in interviews before, including one with Gary Neville, he’s always careful not to overhype him, knowing how important it is for young players to manage expectations early on.
Man Utd’s future attack could be in good hands
Wayne Rooney seems hopeful about Kai’s future in the game, though he’s careful not to put too much pressure on him.
If Kai manages to become even half the player his dad was, that would still be a huge boost for United given how important Wayne Rooney was to the club.
He’s not the only promising youngster in the academy. Alongside him, Douka Nkoto and JJ Gabriel are both highly rated and could be key players down the line.
If just one or two of these young players develop into first-team regulars, it would go a long way toward shaping United’s attack for years to come.
Kai also has a unique advantage: few can say they grew up learning from one of the best forwards in Premier League history, especially when that person is your dad.
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