Former England footballer Wayne Rooney has revealed his Polish-Jewish heritage in the latest episode of a documentary series chronicling his family life. In the fourth installment of the 10-part Disney+ series The Real Rooneys, Rooney discusses discovering that his maternal grandmother’s family were Polish Jews, a lineage he had previously been unaware of.
Rooney explained, “I’ve recently found out that my mum’s mum, so my nan’s, family were Polish Jews.” When prompted about the implication—due to Jewish identity traditionally being matrilineal—that he could be considered Jewish, Rooney responded, “I’m Catholic,” adding that he had long wondered why his family did not identify as Jewish. When asked if this revelation might inspire a related program, Rooney made a lighthearted remark, “Roo the Jew?”
The series documents a family trip to Krakow, Poland, where Rooney, his wife Coleen, and their two youngest sons, Kit, 10, and Cass, eight, visit historical sites tied to the Second World War. The visit stemmed from Kit’s school interest in the war. The family subsequently toured the Auschwitz concentration camp, with Coleen noting Rooney’s enthusiasm for exploring different cultures, histories, and values.
Rooney had previously visited Auschwitz in 2012 along with several teammates from the England national team during the European Championship hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine. Reflecting at the time on the emotional impact of the visit, Rooney said, “I’m a parent and it’s tough to see what happened there... You see the children’s clothes and shoes, it’s really sad. You have to see it first hand.”
The Real Rooneys begins shortly after Rooney’s departure as manager of Plymouth Argyle in December 2024. His tenure at Plymouth lasted 21 games with just five wins, following earlier managerial roles at Birmingham City, Derby County, and DC United that also failed to meet expectations. Rooney indicated in the series' opening episode that he may not return to football management, stating, “There is a big possibility I’ll never manage again.”
The series also touches on domestic arrangements within the Rooney household. Rooney revealed that while he and Coleen had discussed her increasing her professional commitments, he had not anticipated the circumstances that led to his dismissal as a manager and the subsequent shift in their family dynamics.