Wayne Rooney Reveals Polish-Jewish Family Roots in New Docuseries

Wayne Rooney has revealed a surprising piece of family history in his new Disney+ docuseries, "The Real Rooneys". The former Manchester United and England star shared that he recently discovered his maternal family has Polish-Jewish roots.

"I recently found out that my mother's mother, my grandmother, her family was Polish-Jewish," Rooney told the cameras. When a production crew member noted that this maternal lineage technically makes him Jewish, Rooney, who was raised as a Catholic, replied: "I'm Catholic, but I always asked questions like 'Why aren't we Jewish?'"

The discovery came to light during a family trip to Poland with his wife, Coleen, and two of their younger sons, 10-year-old Kit and 8-year-old Cass. Kit, who had been learning about World War II at school, asked to visit Auschwitz, prompting the family to combine the educational trip with their travels. "It is very important to learn about history, both the good and the bad," Rooney explained.

Rooney, now 40, grew up in a Catholic family in Liverpool and attended Catholic schools. Looking back at his upbringing and the new revelation, the football star humorously noted that religion classes were among his favorites, and when asked once what he would have been if not a footballer, he joked, "Maybe a priest."