Man Utd best XI of academy graduates would walk the Premier League and boasts two Ballon d’Or winners
MANCHESTER UNITED reached the historic milestone of handing 250 academy graduates their debuts last night.
With his late introduction in the 4-2 win over Sheffield United, Ethan Wheatley landed the honour of being the club’s 250th homegrown player.
Some 117 of these debuts have come at Old Trafford, with Wheatley’s bow being the 35th in the Premier League era.
The club’s two greatest managers, Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson, built dynasties off the back of the Red Devils academy.
Busby famously said “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough”, while Ferguson said: “Giving young people an opportunity is a fantastic thing and they very seldom let you down.
“These lads never let me down when they put that jersey on.”
Since 1937, every single Man Utd matchday squad has featured an academy graduate.
The Class of 92 and Busby Babes are the most famous generations of recruits, but across the club’s illustrious history there have been some real titans of football emerging from the youth ranks.
Below we take a look at the best XI of academy players to play for the club… and some of the massive names who didn’t quite make the grade.
GK – David Gaskell
David Gaskell, 83, stood in goal for Man Utd over a 13-year career, making 113 appearances for the club and becoming the the youngest-ever player when he made his debut in 1956.
Gaskell played largely as a deputy to the likes of Alex Stepney under Busby but won a Community Shield and FA Cup before retrospectively being awarded medals for the 1965 and 1967 Division One titles.
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RB – Gary Neville
One-club man Gary Neville was of the Class of 92 and was a stalwart at right-back for almost two decades at Old Trafford, making more than 602 appearances.
With a CV including 12 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and four FA Cups among other accolades, it’s little surprise he has found talking about the game on Sky Sports so easy.
CB – Duncan Edwards
Described by Busby as “the most complete player I’ve ever seen,” Duncan Edwards looked destined to become one of the all-time great defenders for both club and country.
But the Munich Air Disaster of 1958 robbed Edwards, who had made 151 league appearances for United and won 18 England caps by the age of just 21, of forging a legacy like no other.
CB – Bill Foulkes
Like Edwards, Bill Foulkes is a name synonymous with the club’s tragic past. He was one of the lucky few to survive Munich and went on to define the club’s resolve and determination to be the best in Europe.
Foulkes starred at the club for 17 years and played in 688 matches, scoring only nine goals – though one of those put Man Utd into the 1968 European Cup final. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 81.
LB – Phil Neville
The younger of the Neville brothers, Phil made 383 appearances for United. He won six Premier League titles and was a key part of the Treble-winning team of 1999.
Neville swapped Old Trafford for Goodison Park in 2005, where he developed into a central midfielder and made more than 300 appearances.
CM – Nobby Stiles
Making his debut in 1960, Nobby Stiles went on to make 395 appearances for the Red Devils as a key part of Busby’s engine room.
Stiles, who could also play centre-back, won two Division One titles, the European Cup in 1968 and was a member of England and Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 World Cup winning team. He died in 2020 aged 78.
CM – Paul Scholes
Another graduate from the Class of 92, Paul Scholes made 718 appearances for the club up to his full retirement in 2013, scoring 155 goals and winning 11 league titles, two Champions Leagues and four FA Cups.
The 49-year-old’s quality can perhaps best be summarised by Ballon d’Or winner Zinedine Zidane, who said: “One of my regrets is the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.”
CM – Bobby Charlton
The first Ballon d’Or winner on this list was another member of the Busby Babes. Over a 15-year career at United, Charlton scored 249 goals.
There is no higher praise from a club than to name a stand after you, and with the “Sir Bobby Charlton stand” opening in 2016, the 1966 Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner achieved that goal. He died aged 86 in October 2023.
RM – George Best
The second Ballon d’Or winner on the list, George Best was arguably football’s first true superstar and defined the rock-and-roll lifestyle.
When he was found by Man Utd scout Bob Bishop, he wrote to Busby saying: “I think I’ve found you a genius.”
He wasn’t wrong, and the Belfast Boy landed Busby two English titles, the European Cup and the FA Cup. He died in 2005.
LM – Ryan Giggs
Another of the Class of 92, Ryan Giggs‘ trophy cabinet in English football is second to none, with his longevity in moving from an exciting winger to cultured midfielder showing his quality.
He is miles clear in the all-time Premier League assists with 162. He also leads the charts for trophies won, with 13 titles to his name. In all he played 961 games for the Red Devils.
ST – Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes graduated from the club’s academy but did not earn his status as a club legend until he had returned to Manchester from spells with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Hughes played 435 times for United and scored 151 goals to help the Red Devils land their first two Premier League titles, as well as three FA Cups, the European Cup Winners’ Cup and the Uefa Supercup.
Honourable mentions:
- John O’Shea
- Arthur Albiston
- Norman Whiteside
- Marcus Rashford
- Nicky Butt
- David Beckham
- Paul Pogba
- Wes Brown
- Darren Fletcher
- Sammy McIlroy
- Gerard Pique