Kai Rooney, the 16-year-old son of Manchester United's record goal scorer Wayne Rooney, made his debut for the club's under-21 side on Friday night. The teenager, who has been part of United's academy since 2020, came on as a substitute for Samuel Lusale in the 78th minute of a 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest under manager Adam Lawrence.
The right winger had previously played at Old Trafford in January, coming off the bench as United beat Derby County in the FA Youth Cup.
Friday's under-21 appearance came just three days after Rooney featured for United's under-19 side, playing 24 minutes in a three-goal defeat to Atletico Madrid in Tuesday's UEFA Youth League tie. Goals from United captain Dan Armer and Lusale were not enough to prevent the defeat.
Rooney's path to United's academy has not been straightforward. He initially joined the club's youth system in November 2016 but switched to rivals Manchester City just two months later. He spent two years with City before joining Bethesda Soccer Club in Gaithersburg, Maryland, after his father moved to MLS side D.C. United. When Wayne Rooney returned to English football with Derby County in 2020, Kai rejoined Manchester United's academy.
Wayne Rooney is a club legend at Old Trafford, having made 559 appearances for United between 2004 and 2017 and scoring a club-record 253 goals across all competitions.
