Wayne and Coleen Rooney reveal eight-year-old Cass's tears after Everton academy release

Wayne and Coleen Rooney have opened up about the emotional moment their youngest son Cass was released from Everton’s academy, revealing the eight-year-old broke down in tears upon hearing the news before bouncing back remarkably quickly.

Speaking on the Therapy Crouch podcast alongside former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch and his wife Abbey Clancy, Coleen described the phone call that ended Cass’s time at the club he adores as a supporter.

“The youngest one, he got let go,” Coleen said. “That was the hardest thing. Because the older two had been there and stayed there at United, Cass was at Everton. It was only Under-7s and he is a massive Evertonian, so he’s got a season ticket and he loves Everton. So, the fact that he was there was everything to him.”

Coleen explained that the family had sensed the release was coming as Everton trimmed their squad ahead of the Under-9 intake. She recalled breaking the news to Cass herself before Wayne arrived home. “He threw his head into his hands and he just burst out crying,” she said. “But an hour later? He forgot about it. He was fine. He still plays for his grassroots team and he was on the phone straight away to my mum and dad saying, ‘Everton have released me.’”.

Wayne, England’s all-time record scorer and Manchester United’s leading goalscorer with 253 goals, offered a measured perspective on the setback, drawing on his own experience in the professional game. “In football, the amount of players we’ve played with who maybe don’t make it at Man United, Everton or Liverpool, but then they go and play elsewhere — there’s opportunity to have a career,” he said. “I said to him, ‘I didn’t join Everton’s academy until I was nine, so actually you’ve got loads of time. Enjoy playing football and if it comes, it comes.’”

The Rooneys have four sons. Eldest Kai, 16, earned a scholarship at Manchester United this summer and is currently impressing for the club’s Under-18s, while 13-year-old Klay is also on the books at Old Trafford. Kit is the couple’s third son.

Cass, despite the disappointment, remains a committed Everton supporter and continues to play at grassroots level.