The Reason Wayne Rooney Was Barred From Watching His Son Play Football
- Wayne Rooney isn't allowed to watch his eldest son, Kai, play football, and it's for a touching reason
- The Man United legend recently made an exception, quietly attending a youth cup final where Kai’s team suffered a narrow defeat
- The young forward continues to impress at United's renowned academy, with many tipping him for a bright future in the game
Wayne Rooney may hold the title of Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer, but when it comes to cheering on his son from the sidelines, he’s taken a back seat.
The move isn’t entirely his own; it stems from a touching request made by his son, Kai, who prefers his dad not to attend his matches.
Kai asked dad not to attend matches
Kai Rooney, despite being the son of Manchester United’s all-time top scorer, wants to carve his own path in football and that starts with having some space from the spotlight.
Coleen Rooney shared that Kai once asked his dad, Wayne, not to attend his grassroots matches because his presence caused too much chaos.
The young forward reportedly felt overlooked and distracted, with more eyes on his dad than on the pitch. This led the Rooney family to make a tough but thoughtful decision.
Wayne would skip most of Kai’s games to give him the freedom to grow without constant public attention. While it’s bittersweet for Wayne who wants to be there for his son, it’s also a strong sign of respect for Kai’s wishes and maturity.
Why Rooney is banned from watching his son
Although Wayne would love to be on the sidelines cheering him on, his status as a football icon tends to draw too much attention.
That unintended spotlight, more often than not, shifts the focus away from the game and onto him.
Coleen Rooney, Wayne’s wife and Kai’s mum, revealed in an interview that this dynamic led to a family decision for Wayne to sit out most of Kai’s matches.
"That's the thing with kids, I think, it's hard to go on days out," she shared as quoted by The Mirror.
"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."
For Wayne, just trying to watch his son play became a challenge, with fans, mostly young ones, constantly crowding him for autographs and photos.
"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 anyway. At the same time, the fans help you along the way and get you where you are."
Rooney breaks the rules as Kai loses final
Recently, however, Wayne couldn’t resist the urge to see his son in action again. He was spotted in the crowd during the SuperCup NI final, where Manchester United’s Under-16 side faced Southampton.
Sitting beside Coleen, Wayne quietly watched as Kai’s team narrowly lost. The teenager came close to scoring, hitting the side netting, while other teammates missed opportunities to equalise.
Adding a touch of cheek to the moment, Jude Daniels, who scored the winner for Southampton, celebrated in front of Wayne with a playful take on his iconic “knockout” celebration, as cited by Tribuna.
Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Kai Rooney has already made a name for himself at Manchester United’s youth academy.
He joined the club in 2020 and has been climbing the ranks ever since, impressing coaches and fans alike with his natural talent and eye for goal.
According to the Manchester Evening News, he once racked up an incredible 56 goals in a single season for the Red Devils’ youth sides.
Wayne Rooney lands lucrative deal
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Wayne Rooney has landed a lucrative £800,000 media deal.
While his coaching career has faced its fair share of hurdles, the Manchester United legend is now making waves in the broadcasting world.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
