List of Manchester United F.C. players

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. The club was formed in Newton Heath in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR F.C., and played their first competitive match in October 1886, when they entered the First Round of the 1886–87 FA Cup.[2] The club was renamed Manchester United F.C. in 1902, and they moved to Old Trafford in 1910.[3] The club won its first significant trophy in 1908, the First Division title. Since then, the club has won a further 19 league titles, along with 13 FA Cups and six League Cups, among many other honours. They have also been crowned champions of Europe on three occasions by winning the European Cup.[3][4] The club was one of 22 teams in the Premier League when it was formed in 1992. They experienced the most successful period in their history under the management of Alex Ferguson, who guided the team to 13 league titles in 21 years.[5][6]

Ryan Giggs is Manchester United's most-capped player of all time, making 963 appearances in 23 years for the club.[1] He later served as caretaker manager for the club in 2014.

Since the club's first competitive match, 984 players have made a competitive first-team appearance for the club, of whom 227 players have made at least 100 appearances (including substitute appearances). Manchester United's record appearance-maker is Ryan Giggs, who made a total of 963 appearances over a 23-year playing career; he broke Bobby Charlton's previous appearance record in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final.[7] Giggs also holds the record for the most starts (802 matches), and for the most matches played as a substitute (161).

Charlton was also the club's top goalscorer with 249 goals in his 17 years with the club.[8] He held the mark for 45 years, until his record was overtaken by Wayne Rooney, who scored his 250th goal during the 2016–17 season; Rooney finished his 13-year tenure with Manchester United with 253 goals in 559 appearances.[9] Other than Charlton, Giggs, and Rooney, only eight players have made more than 500 appearances for the club, including three members of the 1968 European Cup–winning team (Tony Dunne, Alex Stepney, and Bill Foulkes as well as Charlton)[10][11][12] and three members of the 1999 Treble-winning team (Denis Irwin, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, as well as Giggs);[13][14][15] the two other players to reach 500 appearances are Joe Spence, who played for the club during the interwar period,[16] and David de Gea, who played for the club from 2011 to 2023.[17] De Gea, who is Spanish, is the first 500 Club member from outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Other than Charlton and Rooney, only two players (Denis Law and Jack Rowley) have scored more than 200 goals for the club.[18][19]

The most recent player to reach 100 appearances for the club is Argentinian defender Lisandro Martínez, who reached the milestone on 7 January 2026.[20]

List of players

Statistics correct as of match played 3 May 2026

Table headers
  • Nationality – If a player played international football, the country/countries he played for are shown. Otherwise, the player's nationality is given as their country of birth.
  • Manchester United career – The year of the player's first appearance for Manchester United to the year of his last appearance.
  • Starts – The number of matches started.
  • Sub – The number of matches played as a substitute.
  • Total – The total number of matches played, both as a starter and as a substitute.
More information Pre-1960s, Post-1960s ...
Positions key
Pre-1960s Post-1960s
GK Goalkeeper
FB Full back DF Defender
HB Half back MF Midfielder
FW Forward
U Utility player[A]
Close
More information Name, Nationality ...
List of Manchester United F.C. players with at least 100 appearances
Name Nationality Position Manchester United
career		 Appearances Goals Ref
Starts Subs Total
George Perrins  EnglandHB1892–189610201020[41]
Fred Erentz  ScotlandFB1892–190231003109[42]
Bob Donaldson  ScotlandFW1892–1897155015566[43]
Joe Cassidy  ScotlandFW1893
1895–1900		1740174100[44]
James McNaught  ScotlandHB1893–1898157015712[45]
Dick Smith  EnglandFW1894–1898
1900		101010137[46]
Walter Cartwright  EnglandHB1895–190525702578[47]
Harry Stafford  EnglandFB1896–190320002001[48]
William Bryant  EnglandFW1896–1900127012733[49]
Frank Barrett  ScotlandGK1896–190013601360[50]
Billy Morgan  EnglandHB1897–190315201527[51]
Billy Griffiths  EnglandHB1899–1905175017530[52]
Alf Schofield  EnglandFW1900–1907179017935[53]
Vince Hayes  EnglandFB1901–1907
1908–1910		12801282[54]
Jack Peddie  ScotlandFW1902–1903
1904–1907		121012158[55]
Alex Downie  ScotlandHB1902–1909191019114[56]
Alex Bell  ScotlandHB1903–1913309030910[57]
Bob Bonthron  ScotlandFB1903–190713401343[58]
Harry Moger  EnglandGK1903–191226602660[59]
Dick Duckworth  EnglandHB1903–1915254025411[60]
Charlie Roberts  EnglandHB1904–1913302030223[61]
Dick Holden  EnglandFB1905–191411701170[62]
Jack Picken  ScotlandFW1905–1911122012246[63]
George Wall  EnglandFW1906–19153190319100[64]
Billy Meredith  WalesFW1907–1921335033536[21]
Sandy Turnbull  ScotlandFW1907–19152470247101[65]
George Stacey  EnglandFB1907–191527002709[66]
Harold Halse  EnglandFW1908–1912125012556[67]
Arthur Whalley  EnglandHB1909–192010601066[68]
Enoch West  EnglandFW1910–1915181018180[69]
Bobby Beale  EnglandGK1912–191911201120[70]
Jack Mew  EnglandGK1912–192619901990[71]
Lal Hilditch  EnglandHB1919–193232203227[72]
Jack Silcock  EnglandFB1919–193444904492[73]
Joe Spence  EnglandFW1919–19335100510168[16]
Charlie Moore  EnglandFB1919–1921
1922–1931		32803280[74]
John Grimwood  EnglandHB1919–192720502058[75]
Teddy Partridge  EnglandFW1920–1929160016018[76]
Alf Steward  EnglandGK1920–193232603260[77]
Ray Bennion  WalesHB1921–193230103013[78]
Arthur Lochhead  ScotlandFW1921–1925153015350[79]
Harry Thomas  WalesFW1922–1931135013513[80]
Frank Barson  EnglandHB1922–192815201524[81]
Frank Mann  EnglandHB1923–193019701975[82]
Frank McPherson  EnglandFW1923–1928175017552[83]
Tom Jones  WalesFB1924–193720002000[84]
Jimmy Hanson  EnglandFW1924–1931147014752[85]
Jack Wilson  EnglandHB1926–193214001403[86]
Hugh McLenahan  EnglandHB1928–1937116011612[87]
Harry Rowley  EnglandFW1928–1932
1934–1937		180018055[88]
Tommy Reid  ScotlandFW1929–1933101010167[89]
George McLachlan  ScotlandFW1929–193311601164[90]
Jack Mellor  EnglandFB1930–193712201220[91]
Tom Manley  EnglandHB1931–1939195019541[92]
George Vose  EnglandHB1933–193920902091[93]
Jack Griffiths  EnglandFB1934–194417301731[94]
Bill McKay  ScotlandHB1934–1940182018215[95]
George Mutch  ScotlandFW1934–1937120012049[96]
Tommy Bamford  WalesFW1934–1938109010957[97]
Billy Bryant  EnglandFW1934–1939157015742[98]
James Brown  ScotlandHB1935–193911001101[99]
Johnny Carey  Ireland
 Republic of Ireland		FB1937–1953344034417[100]
Jack Rowley  EnglandFW1937–19554240424211[19]
Stan Pearson  EnglandFW1937–19543430343148[101]
Jack Warner  WalesHB1938–195011501152[102]
John Aston Sr.  EnglandFB1946–1954284028430[103]
Allenby Chilton  EnglandHB1946–195539103913[104]
Henry Cockburn  EnglandHB1946–195427502754[105]
Jack Crompton  EnglandGK1946–195621202120[106]
Jimmy Delaney  ScotlandFW1946–1950184018428[107]
Billy McGlen  EnglandHB1946–195212201222[108]
Charlie Mitten  EnglandFW1946–1952162016261[109]
Johnny Downie  ScotlandFW1949–1953116011637[110]
Ray Wood  EnglandGK1949–195820802080[111]
Don Gibson  EnglandHB1950–195511501150[112]
Mark Jones  EnglandHB1950–195812101211[113]
Johnny Berry  EnglandFW1951–1958276027645[114]
Jackie Blanchflower  Northern IrelandHB1951–1958117011727[115]
Roger Byrne  EnglandFB1951–1958280028020[116]
David Pegg  EnglandFW1952–1958150015028[117]
Bill Foulkes  EnglandDF1952–197068536889[12]
Tommy Taylor  EnglandFW1953–19581910191131[22]
Duncan Edwards  EnglandHB1953–1958177017721[118]
Dennis Viollet  EnglandFW1953–19622930293179[119]
Freddie Goodwin  EnglandHB1954–196010701078[120]
Albert Scanlon  EnglandFW1954–1960127012735[121]
Eddie Colman  EnglandHB1955–195810801082[122]
Ronnie Cope  EnglandHB1956–196110601062[123]
Bobby Charlton  EnglandFW1956–19737562758249[8]
David Gaskell  EnglandGK1956–196711901190[124]
Harry Gregg  Northern IrelandGK1957–196624702470[125]
Shay Brennan  Republic of IrelandFB1958–197035813596[126]
Albert Quixall  EnglandFW1958–1963184018456[127]
Johnny Giles  Republic of IrelandFW1959–1963115011513[128]
Nobby Stiles  EnglandHB1959–1971395039519[129]
Maurice Setters  EnglandHB1960–1964194019414[130]
Tony Dunne  Republic of IrelandDF1960–197353415352[10]
Noel Cantwell  Republic of IrelandFB1960–196714601468[131]
David Herd  ScotlandFW1961–19682641265145[132]
Denis Law  ScotlandFW1962–19733986404237[18]
David Sadler  EnglandU1963–1973328733527[133]
Paddy Crerand  ScotlandHB1963–1971397039715[134]
George Best  Northern IrelandFW1963–19744700470179[24]
John Connelly  EnglandFW1964–1966112111335[135]
John Fitzpatrick  ScotlandDF1965–1973141614710[136]
John Aston Jr.  EnglandFW1965–19721662118727[137]
Alex Stepney  EnglandGK1966–197853905392[11]
Brian Kidd  EnglandFW1967–1974257926670[138]
Francis Burns  ScotlandDF1967–1972143131567[139]
Willie Morgan  ScotlandMF1968–1975293329634[140]
Steve James  EnglandHB1968–197516011614[141]
Sammy McIlroy  Northern IrelandMF1971–19823912841971[142]
Martin Buchan  ScotlandDF1972–198345604564[143]
David McCreery  Northern IrelandMF1972–197957531108[144]
Alex Forsyth  ScotlandFB1973–197811631195[145]
Lou Macari  ScotlandFW1973–19843742740197[146]
Gerry Daly  Republic of IrelandMF1973–1977137514232[147]
Brian Greenhoff  EnglandDF1973–1979268327117[148]
Stewart Houston  ScotlandDF1974–1980248225016[149]
Stuart Pearson  EnglandFW1974–1979179118066[150]
Arthur Albiston  ScotlandFB1974–1988467184857[151]
Steve Coppell  EnglandMF1975–1983393339670[152]
Jimmy Nicholl  Northern IrelandDF1975–1981235132486[153]
Gordon Hill  EnglandMF1975–1978133113451[154]
Jimmy Greenhoff  EnglandFW1976–1980119412336[155]
Ashley Grimes  Republic of IrelandDF1977–1983773010711[156]
Joe Jordan  ScotlandFW1978–1981125112641[157]
Gordon McQueen  ScotlandDF1978–1985229022926[158]
Gary Bailey  EnglandGK1978–198737503750[159]
Mickey Thomas  WalesMF1978–1981110011015[160]
Kevin Moran  Republic of IrelandDF1979–1988284528924[161]
Ray Wilkins  EnglandMF1979–1984191319410[162]
Mike Duxbury  EnglandDF1980–1990345333787[163]
John Gidman  EnglandDF1981–198611641204[164]
Frank Stapleton  Republic of IrelandFW1981–19872672128878[165]
Remi Moses  EnglandMF1981–19881881119912[166]
Bryan Robson  EnglandMF1981–19944372446199[167]
Norman Whiteside  Northern IrelandFW1982–19892561827467[168]
Paul McGrath  Republic of IrelandDF1982–1989192719916[169]
Mark Hughes  WalesFW1983–1986
1988–1995		45314467163[170]
Graeme Hogg  ScotlandDF1984–198810821101[171]
Clayton Blackmore  WalesU1984–19942014424526[172]
Jesper Olsen  DenmarkMF1984–19881492717624[173]
Gordon Strachan  ScotlandMF1984–1989195620138[174]
Peter Davenport  EnglandFW1986–1988832310626[175]
Brian McClair  ScotlandU1987–199839873471127[176]
Steve Bruce  EnglandDF1987–1996411341451[25]
Lee Martin  EnglandDF1988–199484251092[177]
Lee Sharpe  EnglandMF1988–19962135026336[178]
Mal Donaghy  Northern IrelandDF1988–199298211190[179]
Mike Phelan  EnglandU1989–1994127191463[180]
Neil Webb  EnglandMF1989–1992105511011[181]
Gary Pallister  EnglandDF1989–1998433443715[182]
Paul Ince  EnglandMF1989–1995276528129[183]
Denis Irwin  Republic of IrelandDF1990–20025111852933[13]
Ryan Giggs  WalesMF1991–2014802161963168[1]
Andrei Kanchelskis  Soviet Union
 CIS
 Russia		MF1991–19951322916136[184]
Paul Parker  EnglandDF1991–199613791462[185]
Peter Schmeichel  DenmarkGK1991–199939803981[26]
Gary Neville  EnglandDF1992–2011566366027[14]
David Beckham  EnglandMF1992–20033563839485[28]
Nicky Butt  EnglandMF1992–20043078038726[186]
Eric Cantona  FranceFW1992–1997184118582[27]
Roy Keane  Republic of IrelandMF1993–20054582248051[187]
David May  EnglandDF1994–200298201188[188]
Paul Scholes  EnglandMF1994–2011
2012–2013		577141718155[15]
Andy Cole  EnglandFW1995–200123144275121[189]
Phil Neville  EnglandU1995–2005301853868[190]
Ronny Johnsen  NorwayDF1996–2002131191509[191]
Ole Gunnar Solskjær  NorwayFW1996–2007216150366126[29]
Teddy Sheringham  EnglandFW1997–20011015215346[192]
Henning Berg  NorwayDF1997–200081221033[193]
Wes Brown  EnglandDF1998–2011313493625[194]
Jaap Stam  NetherlandsDF1998–200112521271[195]
Dwight Yorke  Trinidad and TobagoFW1998–20021203215266[196]
Quinton Fortune  South AfricaMF1999–2006883812611[197]
Mikaël Silvestre  FranceDF1999–20083263536110[198]
John O'Shea  Republic of IrelandU1999–20113019239315[199]
Fabien Barthez  FranceGK2000–200413901390[200]
Ruud van Nistelrooy  NetherlandsFW2001–200620019219150[201]
Rio Ferdinand  EnglandDF2002–2014444114558[30]
Darren Fletcher  ScotlandMF2003–20152667634224[202]
Cristiano Ronaldo  PortugalMF2003–2009
2021–2022		28957346145[31]
Louis Saha  FranceFW2004–2008764812442[203]
Wayne Rooney  EnglandFW2004–201749762559253[9]
Edwin van der Sar  NetherlandsGK2005–201126602660[204]
Park Ji-sung  South KoreaMF2005–20121465920527[205]
Patrice Evra  FranceDF2006–20143572237910[34]
Nemanja Vidić  Serbia and Montenegro
 Serbia		DF2006–20142901030021[33]
Michael Carrick  EnglandMF2006–20183956946424[32]
Nani  PortugalMF2007–20151785223040[206]
Anderson  BrazilMF2007–2015128531819[207]
Jonny Evans  Northern IrelandDF2007–2015
2023–2025		202392418[208]
Dimitar Berbatov  BulgariaFW2008–20121084114956[209]
Rafael  BrazilDF2008–2015150201705[210]
Danny Welbeck  EnglandFW2008–2014905214229[211]
Antonio Valencia  EcuadorU2009–20192776233925[212]
Javier Hernández  MexicoFW2010–2015857215759[213]
Chris Smalling  EnglandDF2010–20192814232318[214]
David de Gea  SpainGK2011–202354505450[17]
Phil Jones  EnglandU2011–2022198312296[215]
Ashley Young  EnglandU2011–20202025926119[216]
Paul Pogba  FranceMF2011–2012
2016–2022		1953823339[35]
Robin van Persie  NetherlandsFW2012–2015891610558[36]
Marouane Fellaini  BelgiumMF2013–20191067117722[217]
Juan Mata  SpainMF2014–20222137228551[37]
Daley Blind  NetherlandsU2014–201813291416[218]
Jesse Lingard  EnglandFW2014–20221438923235[219]
Ander Herrera  SpainMF2014–20191404918920[220]
Marcos Rojo  ArgentinaDF2014–2019105171222[221]
Luke Shaw  EnglandDF2014–289333224[222]
Anthony Martial  FranceFW2015–20232229631890[223]
Marcus Rashford  EnglandFW2016–313113426138[38]
Eric Bailly  Ivory CoastDF2016–202199141131[224]
Nemanja Matić  SerbiaMF2017–2022152371894[225]
Victor Lindelöf  SwedenDF2017–2025247372844[226]
Scott McTominay  ScotlandMF2017–20241728325529[227]
Fred  BrazilMF2018–20231545921314[228]
Diogo Dalot  PortugalDF2018–2143124510[229]
Mason Greenwood  EnglandFW2019–2022844613035[230]
Harry Maguire  EnglandDF2019–2284026817[231]
Aaron Wan-Bissaka  DR CongoDF2019–2024178121902[232]
Bruno Fernandes  PortugalMF2020–30816324106[39]
Alejandro Garnacho  ArgentinaFW2022–2025885614426[233]
Lisandro Martínez  ArgentinaDF2022–91161073[20]
Casemiro  BrazilMF2022–1372215926[40]
Christian Eriksen  DenmarkMF2022–202570371078[234]
André Onana  CameroonGK2023–10201020[235]
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Club captains

Main article: List of Manchester United F.C. captains

Notes

  1. [A]
    A utility player is one who is considered to play in more than one position.

References

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