Manchester United have had no shortage of great players over the years, and a good chunk of them started out at the club, rising through the youth ranks to break into the first team.
From the pre-war era right up until the present day, these are the Red Devils' standout homegrown stars.
Let's dive straight on in, shall we?!
32. John O'Shea
Born in Waterford in the south-east of Ireland, John O’Shea joined Manchester United as a teenager and made his professional debut at 17.
Between 1999 and 2011, the versatile defender – who was also adept as a holding midfielder made almost 400 appearances for the Red Devils, winning every major trophy on offer and even going in goal against Tottenham once.
31. Jonny Evans
Hailing from the other end of the island of Ireland, Belfast native Jonny Evans came through the United youth ranks to feature just shy of 200 times during his first spell at Old Trafford.
The centre-back helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to three Premier League titles – playing a prominent role in the legendary Scot’s 13th and final triumph in 2012/13 – and returned to the club in 2023 for a second spell, nine years after his initial departure.
30. Mike Duxbury
Having started out at Everton, Mike Duxbury made the switch to Manchester United as a schoolboy – and it was with the Red Devils that he would spend the majority of his career.
A right-back by trade, Duxbury helped United to two FA Cup victories – in 1983 and 1985, both under Ron Atkinson – and earned 10 caps for England.
29. Jimmy Nicholl
Born in Canada, Jimmy Nicholl returned with his parents to their native Northern Ireland as a child and grew up in Belfast against the backdrop of the Troubles.
In his mid-teens, he joined Manchester United – who arranged for his family to escape the unrest by relocating to England – where he would go on to make 248 appearances, mostly at right-back, and lift the FA Cup in 1977.
28. Clayton Blackmore
Right at home in defence or midfield, Welshman Clayton Blackmore made his Manchester United first-team debut in 1984, having been part of the side which reached the FA Youth Cup final two years earlier.
An FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup winner, Blackmore also collected a 1992/93 Premier League winner’s medal – before leaving for Middlesbrough, having made 245 appearances for United.
27. Wes Brown
Still a teenager when he won the 1998/99 treble, making 21 appearances in all competitions that season, Wes Brown was a reliable and adaptable defensive option for Manchester United for more than a decade.
A local lad born just five miles from Old Trafford, the 23-time England international was described by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2008 as “the best natural defender this club has had for years”.
26. Phil Neville
A member of the famed Class of ’92 – alongside, among others, older brother Gary – Phil Neville was a Manchester United regular by the age of 18, going on to make 386 appearances over the course of an 11-year association with the Red Devils.
Voted the club’s 1993/94 Young Player of the Year, the full-back turned midfielder featured 44 times en route to treble glory in 1998/99 and won six Premier League titles in all.
25. Brian Greenhoff
Strong enough on the ball to be deployed at centre-half or in the middle of the park, Brian Greenhoff rose through the Manchester United youth ranks to become a mainstay of the first team during the 70s.
A 1974/75 Second Division champion and 1976/77 FA Cup winner – scoring the decisive goal against Liverpool in the final – Greenhoff earned 18 England caps, almost all of them as a United player.
22. Nicky Butt
Another treble-winning member of the Class of ’92, Nicky Butt had to compete with the likes of Paul Scholes and Roy Keane for a place in Manchester United’s midfield – but he still more than played his part in some of their greatest successes under Sir Alex Ferguson.
21. David Sadler
As a teenager, David Sadler made the big switch from Maidstone United to Manchester United – and he went on to spend the vast majority of his senior career at Old Trafford.
A highly adaptable centre-half who could also line up in midfield or even up front, Sadler – who was capped four times by England – starred in United’s 1967/68 European Cup triumph – as Matt Busby’s team became the first English side to be crowned continental champions.
19. Billy Whelan
A first-team regular by his early 20s, Irish inside forward Liam ‘Billy’ Whelan averaged better than a goal every other game in his 98 appearances for Manchester United.
He’d no doubt have gone on to increase both totals considerably, tragically losing his life in the Munich air disaster at the age of only 22.
18. Shay Brennan
Right-back for Manchester United’s 1967/68 European champions, Seamus ‘Shay’ Brennan chalked up 359 appearances for the club between 1957 and 1970.
Born in Manchester, Brennan – who also won two First Division titles with the Red Devils – was the first footballer to qualify to represent the Republic of Ireland through his parentage – and he ended up winning 19 caps in all.
17. Arthur Albiston
At the higher end of Manchester United’s all-time appearances list, legendary Scottish left-back Arthur Albiston turned out 485 times for the Red Devils between his debut in 1974 – against Manchester City, no less – and his departure 14 years later.
Part of the side which returned to the top flight by winning the 1974/75 Second Division title, Albiston helped United to three FA Cup triumphs – one under compatriot Tommy Docherty and two under Ron Atkinson.
16. Brian Kidd
Younger fans will know him as a long-time member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching staff, but Brian Kidd previously enjoyed quite the playing career for Manchester United.
A goalscorer in the 1968 European Cup final – which fell on his 19th birthday – the versatile forward found the net 70 times in 266 outings for the Red Devils.
15. Sammy McIlroy
Among Manchester United’s biggest stars of the 70s, Northern Irish midfield technician Sammy McIlroy scored 71 goals in 419 games for the Red Devils.
A 1975/76 FA Cup winner, McIlroy – who was Matt Busby’s final signing as manager – played all 51 matches in all competitions as United won the 1974/75 Second Division title.
14. Norman Whiteside
A wonderkid in every sense of the world, Norman Whiteside is most famous for being the youngest player ever to appear at the World Cup – doing so for Northern Ireland in 1982 just 41 days after his 17th birthday.
But the attack-minded midfielder showed similar levels of prodigy for Manchester United, breaking into the first team as a 16-year-old and becoming the Red Devils youngest ever goalscorer – then winning two FA Cups by the age of 20.
13. Gary Neville
One of several members of the Class of ’92 who became one-club men, Gary Neville was Manchester United’s go-to right-back for a good decade.
Featuring 602 times in all, the 85-cap England international collected an enviable eight Premier League winner’s medals and played a key role in the 1998/99 treble triumph.
12. Roger Byrne
Full-back and captain during the iconic Busby Babes era, 28-year-old Roger Byrne was among the eight Manchester United players who perished in the 1958 Munich air disaster.
Capped 33 times by England, Byrne – who was renowned for his immense work-rate and excellent tactical awareness made 280 appearances for United, winning three First Division titles.
11. Mark Hughes
One of the greatest Welsh footballers of all time, Mark Hughes had two memorable spells at Manchester United.
The first, beginning with his graduation from the club’s youth system in the early 80s, saw ‘Sparky’ score 47 goals in three seasons and earn a big move to Barcelona; the second, from 1988 to 1995, yielded 116 more goals, yielded two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Cup Winners’ Cup, among other honours.
10. Nobby Stiles
A fantastically no-nonsense defensive midfielder, Nobby Stiles enjoyed great success with Manchester United throughout the 60s, winning two First Division titles, the FA Cup and the European Cup.
Integral to England’s 1966 World Cup victory, the diminutive yet robust Stiles amassed 395 appearances during an 11-year stay at Old Trafford.
9. Dennis Viollet
Scorer of 179 goals in 293 games for Manchester United, Dennis Viollet rose through the ranks to become one of the most formidable strikers of the late 50s and early 60s.
Leading marksman in the 1956/57 European Cup and 1959/60 First Division, Viollet – a survivor of the Munich air disaster – starred in two top-flight title successes for Matt Busby’s United.
7. Paul Scholes
Progressing from the Class of ’92, Paul Scholes went on to enjoy one of the most decorated careers of any Manchester United player in midfielder.
The ginger-haired midfield maestro – who formed superb partnerships with Roy Keane and Michael Carrick – won 11 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues with the Red Devils – including both as part of the treble in 1998/99 – scoring 155 goals in 721 appearances overall.
6. Stan Pearson
A local lad, inside forward Stan Pearson was born in Salford and went on to become a true Manchester United legend, scoring 148 goals in 343 games.
During a career interrupted by the Second World War, Pearson – who found the net five times in eight England caps – was on target as United beat Blackpool in the 1948 FA Cup final, while his hat-trick against Liverpool in 1946 was the last by a Red Devils player against their arch-rivals for 64 years.
5. Bill Foulkes
One of the finest English centre-halves of all time, Bill Foulkes spent his entire career at Manchester United, making a whopping 688 appearances over the course of almost two decades.
A survivor of the Munich air disaster, Foulkes succeeded Roger Byrne as United captain following his death – and he finished his long Old Trafford association with four First Division titles, an FA Cup and a European Cup to his name.
4. Duncan Edwards
Cited by many of his teammates as one of the finest players they ever shared a pitch with, Duncan Edwards was just 21 years old when he succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the Munich air disaster.
One of his contemporaries, Bobby Charlton, said of Edwards – a prodigiously gifted who surely would have won the World Cup with England – that he was “the only player that made me feel inferior” – praise of the very highest order.
3. Ryan Giggs
The final name from the Class of ’92 on this list, Ryan Giggs is in a league of his own for Premier League titles won: in 24 years at Manchester United, the Welsh wing wizard picked up a record 13 top-flight winner’s medals (and a bunch more in other competitions).
Two-time PFA Young Player of the Year and later, at the ripe old age of 35, senior PFA Player of the Year, Giggs amassed 963 appearances – by far the most of any Red Devils player – scoring 168 goals, netting in every season from 1990/91 to 2012/13.
2. Bobby Charlton
The universal outpouring of grief upon Sir Bobby Charlton’s death in 2023 told you precisely how revered he was – not just as a footballer but as a person in general.
Having survived the horror of the Munich air disaster, the immensely talented and versatile attacking midfielder racked up 758 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 249 goals – a club record for the best part of half a century – and starred prominently in First Division, FA Cup and European Cup successes.
1. George Best
Arguably the finest British footballer of all time, George Best was truly one of a kind, an inimitably skilful player who made dribbling on some of the swampish pitches of the time like walking on water.
Discovered in Belfast by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, the swashbuckling wide man went on to score 181 goals in 474 outings for the Red Devils – where he won two top-flight titles, the 1967/68 European Cup, bagging the goal which gave United the lead in the final against Benfica, and the 1968 Ballon d’Or.
