Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and the 25 best Man Utd players of the 21st century – ranked full details below 👇

Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and the 25 best Man Utd players of the 21st century – ranked full details below 👇

Manchester United began the 21st century on the beaches of Brazil. They were there to compete in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup and arrived as the official best team in the world after beating Palmeiras in the Inter-Continental Cup. In order to participate, they took the seismic decision to withdraw from the FA Cup, the competition they were the holders of.

That says a lot about how United have fallen as the century has progressed. The Red Devils won eight out of the first 14 league titles of the new millennium, but ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, they have been on a downward curve. They have finished outside of the top four more times than they have made it in and won just five major trophies. In the first half of the new century, they lifted 13.

It should be no real surprise, then, that a list of the best United players from the first 25 years of the 21st century draws heavily on the Ferguson era. Only performances since January 2000 count, so the likes of Denis Irwin, Jaap Stam and Teddy Sheringham fall short, even though they straddled both centuries.
25Antonio Valencia

When United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a then world-record fee of £80 million ($104m), not many fans expected that the club would look to Wigan Athletic for his replacement. Antonio Valencia sure was no Ronaldo, but he proved to be a solid and versatile club stalwart.

The Ecuadorian spent 10 years at Old Trafford, beginning as a right winger before switching to right-back. For years he spoke almost no English, but by the end of his career with United he was one of the most experienced players in the squad, captaining the team in the Europa League final and in his final season.

When Ferguson learned that Darren Fletcher, aged 15 at the time, was considering leaving United for Newcastle, he launched a furious tirade at him down the phone, angering the player’s mother, and then drove straight to Edinburgh to convince him to stay and stayed at United for the next 13 years.

He was the ultimate squad player but grew into an undisputable starter in the 2008-09 season, cruelly missing the Champions League final through suspension after diving into a tackle against Arsenal late in the semi-final despite the victory long-being secured. That moment epitomised Fletcher’s selfless attitude.

A worse struggle came when he battled a debilitating stomach illness for around two years. The Scotland international kept fighting, as was his way, and was able to eventually continue his career. He has remained loyal to United since retiring, working as a technical director and assistant coach, while his twin sons currently play for the club’s Under-18s.

23Louis Saha

How good could Louis Saha have been were it not for the injuries? The Frenchman had a stunning debut for United against Southampton following a £12m ($15m) move from Fulham in January 2004, and scored seven goals in his first 10 starts.

Injuries interrupted his next season and he only scored twice, but once he returned to full fitness he showed his true value, notching 28 goals and 13 assists in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 campaigns combined.

Saha fired United to League Cup glory in 2006 with six goals in five games and played a big part in the Premier League success the following season. But more injuries meant he could not finish the campaign and severely disrupted his progress the following season, when he also had to compete with Carlos Tevez. Despite the constant setbacks, he averaged a goal every three games.

22Dimitar Berbatov

Ferguson was so determined to make sure Manchester City did not sign Berbatov that he picked him up from the airport on transfer deadline day in 2008 and drove him straight to Old Trafford to complete the transfer from Tottenham. And the Bulgarian was an utter joy to watch.

He often seemed to play at walking pace and at times looked on a whole different level of class to his peers. As an example, early into his United career, Berbatov had the whole of Old Trafford eating out of his hand after an insane piece of skill against West Ham’s hapless James Collins.

Berbatov had impressed without tearing up any trees in his first two seasons with United, but he really found his feet in his third, finishing as top scorer in the Premier League while leading the Red Devils to the 2010-11 title with 20 goals. However, he inexplicably did not even make the substitutes’ bench for the Champions League final against Barcelona.

21Juan Mata

“We haven’t experienced the best period in the history of the club, but I did have some amazing memories along the way.” That was how Juan Mata honestly recapped his eight years with United. The Spaniard joined midway through the first season after Ferguson had left, signing from Chelsea for a then club-record £37m ($48m) to try and get David Moyes’ disastrous first campaign back on track.

That proved to be too tall an order, but Mata found his place under Louis van Gaal, scoring twice to sink Liverpool at Anfield and getting the equaliser in the FA Cup final. He had the misfortune to then be reunited with Jose Mourinho, who had driven him out of Chelsea, but he continued to contribute, winning the Europa League and League Cup.

He left the club having served five managers, scoring 51 goals and setting up a further 43. But his biggest legacy was on a human level, from forming a special bond with a disabled supporter

20Park Ji-sung

South Korean idol Park Ji-sung was the ultimate selfless player. He was as happy setting up goals as he was scoring them, but his greatest weapon was his ability to do a man-marking job on opponents.

His marking of AC Milan’s Andrea Pirlo was so legendary that the Italian recalled it in his autobiography, referring to Park as “the first nuclear-powered South Korean in history, in the sense that he rushed about the pitch at the speed of an electron”. Rio Ferdinand later remarked: “Pirlo was waking up in the middle of the night and Ji was at the bottom of the bed waiting for him, giving him nightmares!”

It says it all that one of Ferguson’s biggest regrets was not getting Park to mark Lionel Messi in the 2011 Champions League final. “This man doesn’t get enough credit, and that’s not just because he’s one of my best friends,” said Patrice Evra. “It’s because he was a soldier.”

19Javier Hernandez

Javier Hernandez signed for United just after an impressive showing at the 2010 World Cup with Mexico and was an instant hit, scoring on his debut against Chelsea in the Community Shield. ‘Chicharito’ did not have the physical attributes of many top strikers, but he made up for a lack of strength with brilliant movement and anticipation, making him deadly in the box.

He scored 33 Premier League goals in his first three seasons and had a particular knack for coming off the bench and scoring the winner, snatching last-gasp victories at Aston Villa, Stoke and West Brom, as well as an equaliser at Chelsea. The late goals helped United win the 2010-11 and 2012-13 crowns.

18Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie was at the peak of his career and had just had his best ever campaign for Arsenal when he signed for United in 2012. It is thought that the Netherlands striker was actually a parting gift from the club to Ferguson to ensure United recaptured the title after losing it in agonising circumstances to City the previous season.

Van Persie took no time adapting to United and fired them to the title as early as April, fittingly clinching the crown at Old Trafford by scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa. He ended the campaign on 27 league goals, a tally that has not been beaten by a United player since.

He had the misfortune to join in what proved to be Ferguson’s final year, and like so many of his team-mates, Van Persie struggled under David Moyes, although he was responsible for one of few happy moments in the 2013-14 season, scoring a hat-trick against Olympiacos in the Champions League to pull off a comeback win.

17David de Gea

Unlike when Peter Schmeichel departed, United had a clear succession plan for when Edwin van der Sar left. While the Dutchman was still at the club, Ferguson missed a League Cup game against Scunthorpe to fly to Valencia and watch a skinny, 19-year-old in action for Atletico Madrid.

David de Gea had to toughen up to make it in English football and after a few howlers and hairy moments, developed into the best shot-stopper in the league, keeping the team afloat on countless occasions in the lost decade after Ferguson left. He became the club’s longest-serving goalkeeper of all-time, as well as keeping a record 190 clean sheets.
although it was inevitable as he had not moved with the times and improved his ability with the ball at his feet. Nonetheless, many fans would still rather him around than Andre Onana.

16Nani

Having had great success signing Ronaldo from Sporting CP four years earlier, United went shopping at the same club for another precociously talented winger from Portugal. Nani lived with Ronaldo in Manchester at first and showed a similar level of self-confidence when he scored his first goal, bending a shot into the top corner against Tottenham from 30 yards and celebrating it with a back flip.

Nani had a dream first season, lifting the Premier League and Champions League, including scoring in the shootout win in the final over Chelsea. And when Ronaldo left, he took the Old Trafford baton from him, contributing to 73 goals in the next three seasons. Injuries eventually got the better of Nani, but he left United having contributed to no fewer than 110 goals.

15Marcus Rashford

Marcus who?! That was the reaction of many United fans when the 18-year-old was named in the starting line-up against Midtjylland in 2016. Rashford did not take long to ingratiate himself to supporters, however, as he scored twice against the Danish side before then doing the same against Arsenal three days later.

Rashford kept on improving and developed into one of the club’s most important and best-loved players, even winning over rival supporters with his campaigning on school meals during the coronavirus pandemic.

After a difficult previous season which led to serious questions about his future, Rashford resurrected his United career in 2022-23, scoring 30 goals and landing himself a bumper new contract. He has not been the same player since, though, as he suffered from a huge crisis in confidence and infuriated supporters with his attitude, most of all for his

Rashford’s downward spiral over the last year is one of the saddest things about United and even the fans who have lost his trust must be hoping that he can turn it around again.
14Bruno Fernandes

United had pursued Bruno Fernandes for almost a year when they finally agreed a £47m ($60m) fee with Sporting CP in January 2020, plus an extra £20m ($25m) in add-ons. More than four years later, that looks like a bargain, as the midfielder is undoubtedly the best player of the post-Ferguson era.

Fernandes has contributed to United in almost every aspect possible. Within a few weeks of his arrival from Sporting, he turned the team’s fortunes around, inspiring them to finish third in the Premier League and helping them pick up more points than anyone else in the division since the day he signed.

He was their leading goal-scorer in the the 2020-21 campaign and has never failed to contribute at least 15 goals per season. Fernandes has risen in importance under Ten Hag, playing practically every game, even when half-fit, and becoming the club’s permanent captain in 2023. He recently locked down his future with the club by signing a new contract, and fans can only hope his loyalty is rewarded with a turnaround in fortunes.

13Gary Neville

Gary Neville was not blessed with the talent of some of his fellow but he filled the gap with dedication and remained as committed to United’s cause as anyone when the new millennium began. Take his efforts to organise a strike among England players in protest at Ferdinand’s ban in 2004, or him running the length of the pitch to celebrate Ferdinand’s last-minute winner against Liverpool as examples.

Neville was more than just passion though; he was a highly capable full-back until a horrific ankle injury against Bolton in March 2007 put him out of action for more than a year. The defender fought his way back to contribute strongly to the 2008-09 title win and in 2009-10, and then had the humility to realise in early 2011 that he was no longer up to the standard required.

After retiring and moving into punditry, Neville built a hotel next to Old Trafford and will help shape the building of the new stadium. United through and through.

12Edwin van der Sar

United had really struggled to replace Schmeichel when he left in 1999, trying a World Cup winner (Fabian Barthez), experienced Premier League hands (Mark Bosnich) and untested outsiders (Massimo Taibi, Tim Howard, Roy Carroll) with unsatisfying results at best, and disastrous consequences at worst.

Van der Sar, aged 34 when he joined from Fulham in 2005 for just £2m ($2.6m), finally fit the bill. He had the experience, towering presence and mentality to fill the void left by the Great Dane. Van der Sar’s 6’4 frame helped him make logic-defying saves when needed, but most of all he offered security and reliability.

He helped United win four Premier League titles in six seasons and clawed away Nicolas Anelka’s penalty to lift the Champions League in Moscow. He remained at the club until he was 40, retiring after United lifted a record 19th league title. Not a bad end to his remarkable career.

11Michael Carrick

United were getting back towards their best in the 2005-06 season, but midfield was their biggest weakness after losing Roy Keane. Carrick arrived as the Irishman’s successor, and although he wore the same No.16 jersey, he was nothing like the former captain in terms of combativeness or passion.

Instead, he let his passing do the talking and gave United the control and consistency in midfield they had been lacking for so long. Carrick didn’t so much boss United’s midfield as rule over it for 12 years.

“It’s Carrick, you know, it’s hard to believe it’s not Scholes,” went the chant. Carrick, though, was in a class of his own, and United have found it much harder to fill the void he left than when Keane departed.

10Patrice Evra

Ferguson likened finding full-backs to “searching for a rare bird” and Evra sure was one of a kind. “We know plenty about his attacking capabilities,” the manager wrote in his autobiography. “He was quick, had superb technique and a strong personality. Very strong.”

Ferguson bluntly called the Frenchman’s debut, a 3-1 loss at Manchester City, “a total disaster”. He added: “You could see him thinking ‘Why am I here?’ Eventually he settled and developed.”

Evra developed into United’s finest left-back of the Premier League era, only rivalled by Irwin, and was a crucial part of the team that won five titles in seven seasons. He was also as mad as a tree, but that made fans like him even more.

9Roy Keane

Keane was the heart and soul of United at the turn of the century, and in the 1999-2000 season swept to both PFA and Football Writers’ awards, while being instrumental to his side retaining the title that year and in 2001.
It was a terrible ending to the career of one of United’s greatest-ever players, but a sign that these two volcanic personalities could not live together. Despite the unsavoury finish, Keane’s place in supporters’ hearts is forever secured.

8David Beckham

David Beckham was the most famous man in the UK when the millennium began, and just three months in he shaved his hair off then belted in a free-kick against Leicester.
The manager, however, felt the England icon’s focus had gone and in many ways Beckham suited the glamour of Real Madrid, but neither he nor United would win a title until four years later. Perhaps they should have stayed together a little longer…

7Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs is very much associated with the 1990s for his role in making United the dominant club of that decade, but his sparkling displays continued long into the next century before he finally retired in 2014, aged 41.

The Welshman destroyed Juventus away from home in 2003 in one of his last hurrahs as a wing wizard before moving centrally and dictating games. He was 34 when he lifted the Champions League trophy in Moscow in 2008, and while that would have been a fitting swansong, he was in no mood to slow down and just kept going, collecting a 13th league title in 2013.

Giggs’ off-field controversy has somewhat sullied his reputation, but his commitment to United across three decades can’t be faulted.

6Rio Ferdinand

Selling Jaap Stam to Lazio might have cost United the 2001-02 title, but they corrected their mistake by going all-in for the best young defender in the league, swooping in to poach Ferdinand from hated rivals Leeds. They paid a then-record £30m ($39m) for the England defender, but he was worth every penny.

Ferdinand pioneered the art of playing out from the back and helped United win the title back from Arsenal in his first season. His next campaign was ruined by a ban for missing a drugs test, but he bounced back and went on to form the ideal centre-back partnership with Nemanja Vidic, which lasted eight years and yielded five league titles plus a Champions League.

5Paul Scholes

Scholes was also a graduate of the Class of ’92, but his best moments came from 2000 onwards, such as his masterful volley against Bradford, his hat-trick against West Ham, his treble against Newcastle, his volley cannoning in off the bar at Villa Park, his Champions League semi-final scorcher against Barcelona and his last-gasp winner at the Etihad Stadium.

Scholes extended his legendary career by coming out of retirement in early 2012 and playing for another 18 months, collecting one more title before finally bowing out aged 38, just when Ferguson was about to call it a day. In keeping with his career, his timing in that regard was impeccable.

4Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ferguson valued Ruud van Nistelrooy so highly that after the Dutchman suffered a serious knee injury which wrecked his move to United in 2000, the manager promised he would sign him when he recovered. The Scot was true to his word, and his faith was rewarded when he bought the striker from PSV in 2001.

Van Nistelrooy averaged 30 goals per season in his five years at Old Trafford and set records for scoring in 10 consecutive Premier League games and hitting 12 goals in a Champions League campaign – since broken by Jamie Vardy and Cristiano Ronaldo, respectively.

His United career came to an abrupt end when he was sacked by Ferguson on the final day of the 2005-06 season and was ordered to drive home from Old Trafford without attending the final match. But he remains one of the most prolific strikers in the club’s history and is now enjoying his second spell with the club as Erik ten Hag’s assistant. Given his compatriot’s current problems, it would be no real surprise if he ended up getting the top job in the near future.

3Nemanja Vidic

Several of the Serbian’s team-mates have admitted they were terrified of Vidic. Ben Foster called him “scary” and “horrible”, Scholes said he was “a lunatic” while Wayne Rooney labelled him “a nightmare”. They were happy to have him on their side though, as they knew that Vidic would never give up a fight easily.

Ferguson made him captain in 2010 ahead of Ferdinand, Scholes and Giggs, which showed how highly he regarded the ruthless centre-back, who helped United keep 14 consecutive clean sheets in the 2008-09 season. He ruled the Red Devils’ defence for eight years and things have never quite been the same without him.

“How many centre-backs can you name that actually liked defending? Vidic liked it,” Ferguson wrote in his autobiography. “He loved the challenge of sticking his head in there. You could tell that the thrill of contesting those 50-50 balls animated him.”

2Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo arrived at United as a teenage show pony, but under the guidance of Ferguson he went from infuriating winger to the complete forward. Ronaldo spearheaded a golden era for United, inspiring them to three consecutive Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

He was an absolute goal machine, scoring 42 times in that campaign and becoming the first United player in 40 years to win the Ballon d’Or. He got even more prolific with Real Madrid and United fans dreamed he would return one day. Their wishes were finally granted in the summer of 2021, and on many occasions

The glorious return as Ronaldo’s lack of energy continued to hold the team back, and his petty antics the following campaign further tainted his second coming. But no one can forget the excitement of seeing him in a red shirt, blossoming into a formidable, goal-scoring beast.
1Wayne Rooney

When United agreed to sign Rooney from Everton in 2004, the Toffees’ chairman Bill Kenwright burst out crying in Ferguson’s office and asked to call his mother. Between tears, Ferguson could hear him saying “they’re stealing our boy, they’re stealing our boy”.

Kenwright had every right to be upset as Rooney was the most talented English footballer since Paul Gascoigne. But unlike the volcanic playmaker, he made the most of it. Rooney scored a hat-trick on his debut at Old Trafford and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 253 goals in 13 seasons.

He is responsible for some of the greatest goals in the Premier League era, such as his stunning volley against Newcastle in 2005 or his audacious bicycle kick against Manchester City in 2011. Rooney may have claimed to be “once a blue, always a blue”, but the best days of his career were as a red. They were also United’s best days in the 21st century, and no one can come close to rivalling him as the club’s greatest player of the last 25 years.