Manchester United are one of the biggest teams in England – and the entire world! Chances are that if you’re not a fan yourself, you’ll know someone who is! The team play in the Premier League and have a trophy cabinet rammed with cups! Here are 15 amazing facts about one of the best teams in the city of Manchester!

1. They weren’t called Manchester United to begin with!

When the club formed in 1878, they were originally called Newton Heath LYR (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway) and played in green and gold. They changed their name to Manchester United in 1902.

2. Old Trafford is their third ground!

As Newton Heath LYR, the team played their home games on a field on North Road. Then they moved to Bank Street in Clayton. In 1909, they moved to Old Trafford – the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ – and it bombed during World War 2 and was rebuilt during 1941-1949. The ground’s current capacity is around 75,000.

3. They’ve got a big trophy cabinet!

Manchester United are one of the most successful teams in the world. As of 2023, they’ve won: 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups, six League Cups, and 21 FA Community Shields. Further afield, they’ve picked up the European Cup/UEFA Champions League three times, the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup too.

4. Sir Alex Ferguson is the team’s longest serving manager!

Ferguson left Aberdeen in 1986 to become Manchester United’s manager. He led the side until retiring in 2013. It’s fair to say that the team haven’t been as successful since he stepped down from the position as manager.

5. Bryan Robson is the team’s longest serving captain!

Former England international Bryan Robson captained the team for 12 years. He joined the club in 1981 from West Bromwich Albion and stayed at the club until 1994. He now works as a ‘global ambassador’ for the team.

6. 1 in 8 people of the world’s population is a Man Utd fan!

According to research, around 1 billion people on earth are Manchester United fans. To put that into perspective, the English county of Kent has a population of 1.8 million people!

7. Wayne Rooney is the team’s highest goalscorer!

Wayne Rooney tops the leading scorers chart for the club with 253 goals. The late Sir Bobby Charlton is placed second with 249 while Denis Law – who also played for Manchester City – is third with 237 goals.

8. The club has a devilish mascot!

He’s called Fred the Red. The team have been known as the Red Devils since the 1960s!

9. Sir David Beckham is one of the team’s most famous players!

During this spell at the club, which lasted from 1992 to 2003, he made 394 appearances and scored 94 goals. He left Manchester United to join Real Madrid on a four-year contract.

10. There is a very special clock at the ground’s entrance

Named the ‘Munich Clock’, it is dedicated to the eight players who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958. It is permanently set at 3:04pm. The team were nicknamed the Busby Babes (named after their manager Sir Matt Busby) but because it became linked to the tragedy, it was later changed it to the Red Devils (the name of a rugby team in Salford).

11. Manchester United W.F.C play in the Women’s Super League!

Manchester United WFC were founded in 2018 and play their home games at Leigh Sports Village. They’re already an amazing team and were placed second in the 2022-23 season!

12. Erik ten Hag is the team’s 23rd manager!

The Dutch footballer played for teams like Twente and Utrecht, and managed Ajax before joining Manchester United in 2022. He succeeded former player Ole Gunnar Solskjær as their manager (while Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick were appointed as temporary managers) and has the job of stuffing their trophy cabinet with lots of cups!

13. They were the first English team to win the ‘Treble’!

While Sir Alex Ferguson was the team’s manager, they became the first club to win the Treble during the 1998-99 season. This means they won the Premier League, UEFA Champions Cup and the FA Cup!

14. The team’s motto describes their approach to the game!

Manchester United’s motto is ‘Youth, Courage, and Greatness’ and they believe in getting young players and turning them into world class stars! One recent example of this is Marcus Rashford, who also an important part of the England team!

15. One Manchester United star was a Beano guest Editor!

Not only has Marcus Rashford become a Manchester United legend and England star, he was also invited to be a guest Editor for your favourite comic in the summer of 2022! “My favourite thing about Beano is how the comic brings together all sorts of different children,” he wrote in a letter. “Instead of our differences dividing us, we embrace them here, and we find strength in them. We should be celebrating all things that make each of us unique.”