Boy goes viral for playing football with rooster, impresses netizens with training skills
A video of a 7-year-old boy playing football with a rooster has gone viral on TikTok, with many netizens calling it wholesome and a reminder of kampung childhoods.
The clip was posted on Tuesday (6 Jan) by TikTok user Aisyah, and showed the boy interacting confidently with what appeared to be a rooster or jungle fowl at a multipurpose hall in Woodlands.
Rooster appears to follow instructions
In the video, the boy is seen holding up his hand to signal the rooster to wait, after which the bird stops moving.
Source: @aisyah.jalil on TikTok
He then throws a small ball towards the rooster, which proceeds to “dribble” and “bounce” the ball — nudging it forward with its feet and bouncing it with its beak.
Source: @aisyah.jalil on TikTok
The rooster also appears to have been trained to run back to the original spot where the boy stood, positioning itself to react again when the ball is thrown.
Aisyah later told MS News that the bird was in fact not trained, and this was their first time playing together.
Source: @aisyah.jalil on TikTok
Text over the video read, “POV: it’s 2026 and you’re playing football with a rooster #dahmaju,” with “dahmaju” referring to the Malay phrase of “already developed”.
The caption jokingly added: “FAS [Football Association Singapore] latest signing.”
The light-hearted caption added to the amusement, with viewers jokingly likening the rooster to a professional footballer.
One commenter even made a pun inspired by former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney, calling the chicken “Wayne Roosterney”.
Source: TikTok
Rooster not unfamiliar in the area
Speaking to MS News, Aisyah, 24, a nurse, said the encounter took place on 1 Jan 2026 while her family was spending time together downstairs.
“This was in Woodlands at our multipurpose hall, happened on New Year’s Day,” she said.
She explained that the boy in the video is her nephew.
Source: @aisyah.jalil on TikTok
“It was my nephew’s first time seeing a rooster up close and he was so curious that he wanted to touch it,” she told MS News.
“But he was also quite scared, so he just gently threw the ball, not knowing it would end up playing with him.”
In another video seen by MS News, the rooster was seen following the young boy, clucking as it trailed behind him.
Video courtesy of Aisyah
Aisyah added that roosters have been spotted around the area on several occasions, though never this close.
“Not sure how it got this friendly, but it’s definitely not scared of people,” she said, adding that she once saw a rooster waiting at a bus stop “as if waiting for the bus as well”.
She noted that other people playing nearby were also amazed and amused by the interaction, describing it as a rare moment.
Netizens praise boy and recall kampung days
Many commenters praised the boy for being calm and gentle, with others saying the video brought back memories of kampung times, when chickens roamed freely and children played outdoors.
Source: TikTok
“I think many viewers are very happy and find this very wholesome as it allowed them to reminisce of the kampong times where chickens were just wandering around,” said Aisyah.
She added that viewers also appreciated seeing a child choosing outdoor play over screens.
“We just hope that this would not be the last time we get to encounter and experience rare moments like this with the wildlife.”
Also read: S’pore pet owner says her chicken-rice-loving cat only listens to her when she speaks Malay
S’pore pet owner says her chicken-rice-loving cat only listens to her when she speaks Malay
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Featured image adapted from @aisyah.jalil on TikTok.
