Kai Rooney has been recovering from some injury issues which have knocked him back in recent months, but the son of the iconic Manchester United legend is battling back
16:06, 25 Apr 2026Updated 16:08, 25 Apr 2026
Kai Rooney was hit with season-ending news(Image: Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Wayne Rooney’s young son Kai has revealed he is back running, as he battles back from his injury issues. In January, the teenager made his first appearance at Old Trafford.
He came on as a substitute in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup for the Reds, under U18s manager and his old man’s former team-mate Darren Fletcher. Rooney played well under the ex-Reds’ midfielder, contributing two goals and an assist in just 119 minutes of football.
But in March, his season was ended by a nasty injury which has since kept him shelved. One month after he revealed to his social media followers he would not be featuring again, Rooney had another update.
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He uploaded a picture of himself wearing some United tracksuit bottoms and football boots. In a caption on his Instagram story, Rooney also wrote: “Back running.”
It’s a lot more positive than the post where he confirmed he would not be featuring again for the Reds youngsters this season. He wrote: “Disappointed to be out for the rest of the season. Back stronger next pre-season.”
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This is not the first time Rooney has been hampered by a nasty injury. In September 2025, he had been called up to the U19s squad, not long after scoring a magnificent volley for the U18s squad, despite playing with youngsters many years his senior.
However, he then picked up a foot injury, which he confirmed by uploading a picture of himself wearing a protective boot on his right foot. In his caption, he wrote: “Life can’t get worse” alongside a crying emoji, which invoked plenty of sympathy across the football world.
Kai Rooney had an update for his social media followers(Image: Instagram/Kai Rooney)
It was a huge pity for him, as he had turned many heads while starring for the Red’ youth team at the Super Cup in Northern Ireland in the summer of last year. Considering his iconic father also starred in the same tournament when he was a youngster in Everton’s ranks, it would have been an emotional moment for the Rooney family.
In a previous interview with BBC Sport, Rooney senior has made it clear there is no pressure on his son. He said: “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.
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“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.
“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.”
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