Wayne Rooney’s son gives rare update on injury after devastating news | Football | Sport

Wayne Rooney’s 15-year-old son Kai has provided an update on his injury recovery following a devastating Manchester United blow earlier this year. The eldest offspring of the United icon aspires to follow in his father’s remarkable footsteps, but he encountered a fitness setback, declaring: ‘Life couldn’t get any worse.’

The teenager clearly possesses his dad’s love for football and has excelled for United’s academy teams this campaign. He caught attention during the Super Cup NI in Northern Ireland earlier this summer, a competition in which his father also starred as a youth player at Everton.

Kai was experiencing a rapid ascent, having earned promotion to United’s Under-19s squad, where he faced professionals four years his senior. Before that elevation, he’d netted a spectacular strike for the Under-18s, a left-footed volley that found the top corner, echoing some of his father’s magnificent efforts.

Earlier this year, Kai posted an image on social media of his right foot in a boot, but has now provided supporters with a recovery update. Posting to Instagram, he shared two photographs enjoying some relaxation time in Dubai, with his foot no longer encased in a protective boot.

The youngster captioned the pictures: “Recovering”, followed by an emoji shrouded in smoke. The precise details of his injury remain unclear, though the images indicate a return to action may not be too distant.

The young talent typically plays in a central attacking position, much like his father Wayne, but is also capable of playing on either flank. In a chat with BBC Sport about his son’s footballing journey, Rooney shared: “I just let him play.

“I think they started the competition well, they won 3-0, he scored the penalty and got an assist. So I think he started OK. He just plays and that’s all he’s done during his time playing.

“I think it’s very unfair for anyone to expect him to go and do all kinds. He’s just playing, he’s a 15-year-old boy playing his football, enjoying it. Of course he gets different attention to a lot of his team-mates but I think he handles that really well.”

Rooney also commended the coaching staff at United, saying: “He has great coaches at Manchester United, so I take a stand off approach.

“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.” Rooney’s eldest son has been part of the United academy since he was 11 years old, having joined the youth set up in 2020.