Following his debut for Man Utd U18s last week, 15-year-old Kai Rooney not only played his second match on 23/8, but also scored his first goal. His deflected volley in the 76th minute sealed a 5-0 victory against Middlesbrough.

Earlier in the match, prodigy Gabriel scored twice. The 14-year-old striker's performance explains why manager Ruben Amorim recently invited him to train with the first team. Mantato and Ibragimov scored the other two goals. Man Utd have secured six points from their first two matches in the U18 Premier League, defeating Everton 1-0 and Middlesbrough 5-0.

Kai is Wayne Rooney's eldest son. He joined the Man Utd academy in 2020 and has steadily progressed through the ranks. However, Rooney doesn't want to put too much pressure on his son: "He just needs to play football. It's unfair to have high expectations, he’s only 15. But with the pressure of his name, he has handled it very well," Rooney said.

Wayne Rooney is Man Utd's all-time leading scorer, with 253 goals in 559 appearances. During his 13 years with the Red Devils, he won 16 trophies, including the 2008 Champions League and five Premier League titles. Rooney also scored 53 goals in 120 matches for England, second only to Harry Kane's 73.

Kai Rooney has played in both of Man Utd U18s' opening matches this season, scoring once. Photo: Man Utd

Kai Rooney has played in both of Man Utd U18s' opening matches this season, scoring once. Photo: Man Utd

The current Man Utd U18s coach, Darren Fletcher, is Rooney's former teammate. The ex-defender made 342 appearances for the Red Devils from 2002 to 2015, contributing to one Champions League title and five Premier League titles.

Thanh Quy