Coleen and Wayne Rooney have pushed back against claims that their eldest son Kai is a “nepo baby,” insisting the 16-year-old has earned his achievements through hard work and talent alone.
The couple, both 40, addressed the criticism in an interview, speaking out after Kai secured a scholarship with Manchester United earlier this year while also picking up a high-profile modelling campaign with sportswear giant Puma.
The teenager’s developing career both on and off the pitch features prominently in the family’s new Disney+ docuseries, The Real Rooneys, which charts his journey towards securing a deal at the club where his father became a football legend.
Coleen told the Daily Mail: “I think Kai is a prime example of not being a nepo baby. He has always wanted to be a footballer, but he has intelligence; he’s an intelligent lad.”
Wayne Rooney has four children with Coleen: Kai, Klay, Kit, and Cass |
INSTAGRAM/COLEEN ROONEY
She went on to highlight Kai’s academic accomplishments, noting that he had recently achieved impressive GCSE results.
She added: “He’s fluent in Spanish, and that’s off his own back; that’s not because we’ve pushed him. He’s never had a tutor.”
The 40-year-old explained that Kai had picked up the language after befriending an Argentine boy while playing football in the United States, maintaining contact with him and rapidly developing his fluency.
He is now studying Spanish at A level alongside his football commitments.
Wayne and Coleen have defended eldest son Kai against claims he is a ‘nepo baby’
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GETTY
Addressing the doubters directly, Coleen said: “When he was younger, people would say, ‘Oh, he’s only there because of his dad’.
“He wouldn’t get a contract on that team [if that was the case], so he’s worked hard to get where he is, and we’re proud of that, aren’t we?”
Wayne acknowledged that such scrutiny is common in football.
“Yeah, you do see that, and especially in football, you get ‘Is he there because of his dad?’ and I’ve seen that with other kids as well, and you can’t say whether they’re right or wrong, but we only speak for Kai,” he said.
Kai is studying Spanish at A level alongside his football commitments
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GETTYThe former England captain said he was particularly proud of his son’s determination, adding: “He has earned that right to go and play for Man United and get that contract.
“That’s the one thing I’m most proud of him actually is his desire and wanting to do it.”
Wayne also revealed he had personally visited the club to make his position clear.
“I’ve actually been into the club and said, ‘If he isn’t doing well, then I don’t want them to be here because of me’,” he explained.
Kai is pursuing his own football career at Manchester United
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GETTY“It’s not fair on them. You don’t want your kids to be in that position where they feel they’re not good enough.”
The docuseries also captures Kai during a Puma photoshoot, with his younger brother Klay watching from the sidelines.
The sibling dynamic provided some lighter moments, with Klay quipping: “How have you got a sponsorship and I’ve not? I’m much better than you.”
Kai fired back: “You look like the guy from Dumber and Dumber.”
Kai has landed a high-profile modelling campaign with Puma
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INSTAGRAM/KAI ROONEY
Coleen described the brothers as “chalk and cheese,” adding: “They love each other but they might not always like each other.”
She also noted that Kai was keen to impress at Old Trafford while juggling his growing commercial opportunities.
Wayne, meanwhile, reflected that seeing his son represent Manchester United would bring things “full circle” for the family.
Kai himself spoke of his aspirations in the series, saying: “I want to play at the highest level, I want to play for the best team in the world, and that’s all what I want to do, look back and be happy with what I have achieved as a player and a person.”
Wayne and Coleen have opened up about raising their four sons in their new family docuseries
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The rights to the docuseries were the subject of a months-long bidding war between Disney+ and Amazon, with the streaming platform ultimately prevailing with a reported £10million deal.
According to sources close to the production, Coleen is set to receive £5 million, with the balance going to Lorton Entertainment, the production company behind her earlier programme Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story.
The couple’s longstanding manager Paul Stretford spoke about the family’s enduring commercial appeal.
“The name Rooney and The Rooneys are of massive interest,” he said.
“The potential for Kai alone is really, really exciting. It is a very competitive space; you’ve got to be on your A game to keep that; it can always fall by the wayside.”
Coleen stressed that neither she nor Wayne would ever push their children in a particular direction.
“They’ve got to want to do it and love what they’re doing, so whatever they choose, we’ll support and guide them,” she said.
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