Cristiano Ronaldo Jr facing same hurdle as Kai Rooney as Man Utd legend's son set for move

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Cristiano Ronaldo Jr could be subjected to the same pressure and scrutiny that Kai Rooney experiences if he completes his transfer to Real Madrid . The 15-year-old, son of the Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo , recently trained with Real Madrid's Under-16s team in Spain.

He is on the books of Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, where his father plays, having also had spells at Juventus and Manchester United's academies during his dad's stints with the two clubs.

Ronaldo Jr may soon become a permanent member of Los Blancos’ academy , having temporarily relocated back to Spain with his family while his father recovers from a hamstring injury. Such a move would be monumental for the teenager, boosting his development as he competes against the very best in his age group.

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However, by signing for Real Madrid, he will also face unprecedented scrutiny, given his father is considered the greatest player in the club's illustrious history. Ronaldo Jr's performances for the Spanish giants will attract far more attention than his games for Al-Nassr over the past three years, as fans will be eager to see if he mirrors the Los Blancos legend on the pitch.

Ronaldo Jr, who has represented Portugal's Under-15s and Under-17s, will either emerge from this experience a better footballer or crumble, potentially damaging his promising career.

Another gifted youngster who has faced the burden of representing a huge club where his father is the all-time top scorer is Kai Rooney, the 16-year- old son of Wayne Rooney . Since arriving at United's academy in 2020, aged just 11, the striker has endured constant comparisons to Wayne.

Rooney even lined up alongside the young Ronaldo, just as their dads had done in the noughties, for a short spell after the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's return to United in 2021.

However, Rooney has already successfully handled what Ronaldo Jr will be hoping to achieve in Spain by taking the pressure in his stride and thriving in the spotlight. He recently made the step up to Darren Fletcher's Under-18s side and made his Old Trafford debut in the FA Youth Cup earlier this year.

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Discussing the level of scrutiny his son and Ronaldo Jr face, Wayne said: "There's a bit more pressure on them as well. Kai and (when) Ronaldo came back, Ronaldo's lad and Michael Carrick's lad were all on the same team.

"You go and watch and then all of a sudden there's like 10 times the amount of people that's normally there, all around the pitch watching, so there's a lot more pressure because they're coming to watch the three kids to see how they play and stuff. They've got to be ready."

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Rather than becoming frustrated by the endless comparisons, Rooney's mother, Coleen, says he copes with it with relative ease. She told The Times : "He's lived it from a young age.