Former England soccer star Wayne Rooney says grandma was Polish Jew during Auschwitz visit

Wayne Rooney, the former English soccer star, revealed that his maternal grandmother was a Polish Jew during a family visit to Auschwitz.

Speaking in his Disney+ documentary, The Real Rooneys, Rooney explained that he "recently found out my mum's mum, my nan, her family was Polish Jews."

“Technically, if that’s true, you’re actually Jewish,” a producer called from off camera. Judaism is passed down maternally, and given Rooney's heritage comes from his "mum's mum," the former soccer player is considered Jewish by Halacha (Jewish law).

"I'm Catholic, but I've always asked questions like, 'Why aren't we Jewish?'" Rooney responded.

He explained that his mother told him that his great-grandmother had fled Poland for Liverpool, adding that they thought her original surname was Greenburg.

The Rooneys visit Auschwitz at their 10-year-old's request

The announcement came during a family trip to Poland, where the family aimed to learn more about World War II for their son's school project.

“Kit really wanted to go,” Rooney's wife, Coleen, told the Guardian when asked whose idea the trip had been.

Rooney added, “It’s really important to learn about history, good and bad. Sometimes with your kids, you only want to tell them the good stuff, and I don’t think that’s good for them."

"I've watched a lot of documentaries on it, and you just wouldn't think human beings could do that to other human beings. It's crazy," he told his taxi driver on the way to the concentration camp.

Although his sons hadn't been to Auschwitz before, Rooney himself had visited with his England teammates during the 2012 Euros, which were held in Poland and Ukraine.

Jewish organizations respond to Rooney's announcement

Rooney could usurp Nick Blackman, the Blackburn Rovers player who is officially recognized as the first English-born Jewish player in the UK's Premier League.

Blackman debuted in 2009 while Rooney, who has subsequently discovered his Jewish heritage, debuted for Everton in 2002.

Blackman played for Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv towards the twilight of his career.

However, Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), a UK-based charity dedicated to exposing and countering anti-Jewish hate, felt that Rooney's newfound history had bigger implications. In a statement on X/Twitter, CAA commented that "this news is a reminder that the idea that Jewish people are not sporty is a myth laced with antisemitic tropes about Jewish physical weakness."

"In fact, before the Second World War, Jewish people were at the pinnacle of European sport across a range of disciplines, including football," it added.

"It is taking time to rebuild that culture from the ashes of the Holocaust, and educate about how Jewish people and people with Jewish heritage have contributed, and continue to contribute to the world of sport."