Wayne and Coleen Rooney were brimming with pride last week as they watched their eldest son, Kai, follow in his father’s footsteps. The 16-year-old made his Old Trafford debut for Manchester United U18S during a 2-1 triumph over Derby County in the FA Youth Cup. It’s been over two decades since Wayne signed for United in 2004, ultimately becoming the club’s all-time top scorer with 253 goals across 559 appearances. When he hung up his boots in 2021, he also held the distinction of being England’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Given his father’s remarkable accomplishments, Kai’s emerging career unavoidably invites comparisons. However, Wayne and Coleen have always acknowledged the pressure their children would face and refused to impose football upon them. This is why Kai was allowed to sign with Manchester City at age seven, after admitting he wasn’t enjoying his spell at United. He subsequently left City when Wayne relocated to America to play for DC United. The teenager then rejoined United in 2020, though his Old Trafford debut gave the club legend a rare chance to see his son play.

“Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games when he played grassroots tournaments and stuff, because he used to get swarmed, and he couldn’t even watch the game,” Coleen disclosed on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here 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 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.”

Kai made his United U18s bow as a 15-year-old earlier this campaign. Last week, he began the FA Youth Cup encounter on the bench, entering during additional time as Darren Fletcher’s team progressed with a 2-1 victory.

Wayne and Coleen were spotted capturing images as Kai stepped onto the field. Having previously walked the surface alongside his father during triumphant processions, he is now carving his own path at the club.

Following the Derby fixture, Wayne shared an image of himself with a young Kai on social media. His caption read: “Then and now. Proud of you, Kai.”

Kai’s parents sat beside first team interim boss Michael Carrick, whose son also plays for United’s academy. Wayne has recently expressed his thoughts on the importance of the club’s youth development, having challenged former United manager Ruben Amorim‘s methods.

Kai has matured in the public eye and became a Puma ambassador at 12. Coleen has previously outlined her and Wayne’s strategy for developing young footballers and disclosed how their eldest handles comparisons with his father.

“We’ve never pressured them into even playing football,” Coleen told the Mirror in September 2024. “We’ve always just let them decide what they want to do. My eight-year-old was playing and doing really well but then decided he didn’t want to, and that’s OK.

“I think they sometimes get pressure off other people, you know. People approach them now and then if we’re out, they do say, ‘Are you as good as your dad?’

“Kai says, ‘I’m a different type of player.’ You’ve got to let them know that you don’t have to follow and to be your own person.”