From defensive midfielders to forwards, Manchester United have featured some of the world’s best number 10s over the years.
Let’s take a look back at some of the best Red Devils player to wear the number 10 shirt.
Nobby Stiles
Manchester United legend Nobby Stiles made 395 appearances for the Reds, helping the club win the league twice along with the European Cup during the 1967/68 season. The defensive midfielder also became a Three Lions great, helping England win the World Cup in 1966.
Bobby Charlton
Second on Manchester United’s career goalscorers list with 249 strikes (just behind Wayne Rooney), midfielder Bobby Charlton featured in 758 games and earned 12 trophies. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1966 after leading England to the World Cup and United to a league title. An FA Cup winner, he also helped the Red Devils take home the European Cup during the 1967/68 season.
Denis Law
Nicknamed ‘The King’ and ‘The Lawman,’ center-forward Denis Law scored 237 goals in 404 games for Manchester United. The 1964 Ballon d’Or winner helped the Red Devils snatch two league titles, an FA Cup, and a European Cup.
Law also broke three transfer records during his career.
Lou Macari
The Scottish midfielder played over 400 games for the Red Devils, helped the club win a 1977 FA Cup trophy and win back promotion into the First Division in 1975.
Brian Kidd
The Manchester United academy graduate earned 130 appearances with the senior team, scoring 36 goals. The striker helped the Red Devils lift the European Cup during the 1967/68 season before moving to play for a slew of other English sides including Arsenal and Manchester City.
Ridiculous finish. Brian Kidd scores for Man United in a 3-0 win over Man City in 1970 #mufc @UtdBeforeFergie pic.twitter.com/dNd4Ycz1TW
— @forgottengoals (@forgottengoals) April 24, 2019
Sammy McIlroy
Matt Busby’s final signing at Manchester United, Northern Irish midfielder Sammy Mcllroy helped dig Manchester United out of the second league into the first league in 1975. He played an instrumental role in helping the club snatch FA Cup glory in 1977. He scored 57 goals in 342 league appearances for the Red Devils.
Frank Stapleton
Widely considered the best center-forward during the early 1980s, Frank Stapleton signed for the Red Devils from Arsenal for £900,000 in 1981. The Irish football legend helped kickstart United’s 70s trophy drought with two FA Cups in the early 80s along with a 1983 Charity Shield.
Norman Whiteside
The former Man United midfielder and striker Norman Whiteside had a short but stellar career. Before retiring at the age of 26 due to a knee injury, Whiteside helped the Red Devils win two FA Cups — he scored the winner in the ’85 FA Cup final — and the FA Charity Shield in 1983.
He remains the youngest player to score a senior goal for Manchester United whom he signed for at the age of 17 in 1982. He scored 68 goals in 278 league and cup games during his 7-year career at Old Trafford.
Mark Hughes
Wales striker and midfielder Mark Hughes enjoyed two stints with the Red Devils where he scored 88 strikes and 17 assists in 249 matches for the club. But his trophy-case was even more impressive. He helped the Red Devils to two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, a Football League Cup, a European Cup Winners’ Cup, and a European Super Cup.
Teddy Sheringham
A three-time Premier League winner along with a Champions League and FA Cup, striker Teddy Sheringham enjoyed a prolific four-year career at Manchester United. The center-forward finished his tenure at Old Trafford with 46 goals, 28 assists, in 153 matches.
He cemented his legendary status in Old Trafford glory with a dramatic equalizer and game-winning assist in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
A REMINDER:
— Football Remind (@FootballRemind) April 2, 2017
Happy Birthday Teddy Sheringham!
Helped Man United win the Champions League in dramatic fashion. 1 goal, 1 assist 👏🏻🏆 pic.twitter.com/a9AHN3glnu
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
The Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy seemed to rain goals for Manchester United during his time in the Premiership, scoring a whopping 150 goals in 219 fixtures. He led the Red Devils in goals from 2002 – 2005, along the way winning the Premier League and an FA Cup. He also finished as the Champions League top scorer three times.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
During a short but sweet Manchester United career, Swedish great Zlatan Ibrahimovic notched 29 goals and 10 assists in 53 games at Old Trafford. He helped the club win the Europa League in 2017 under coach Jose Mourinho.
🗣 "Class. Is. Permanent."
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 17, 2020
We couldn't have put it better ourselves 😍#MUFC @Ibra_Official pic.twitter.com/aLDxFr6n4E
Wayne Rooney
After making an illustrious hat-trick to start his Man United career against Fenerbahce in the Champions League 2004, Wayne Rooney went on to become United’s all-team leading scorer with 253 goals. He won 16 trophies at Old Trafford, including five Premiership titles, the FA Cup, and the Champions League title in 2008.
Marcus Rashford
One of the best young forwards in world football, Marcus Rashford makes the list because of what he’s already accomplished at Old Trafford — 64 goals and 31 assists in 201 appearances — and what he promises to deliver in the future.
The 22-year-old is an integral part of United’s rebuild post-Ferguson and wants to repay the club back in various trophies.
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