Many of the best midfielders in the world have played for Manchester United over the past 25 years.
Now we want your help to narrow down the best three midfielders, to help build our ‘best Manchester United team of the 21st Century‘.
The team is constructed in a 4-3-3 formation, meaning we have a wide variety of midfielders competing for three spots.
Vote in our poll for your TOP choice, and the three players with the most votes will make it into our dream XI.
The poll is below, along with a breakdown of the contenders, and a few pretenders too…
Who is the best Man Utd midfielder 2000-2025? Cast your vote đŸ—³️
The top THREE make it into our XI
Roy Keane
The ultimate midfielder, Roy Keane led the Manchester United dominance when the 2000s began, and there was no stopping him.
Keane helped United to three Premier League titles in 2000, 2001 and 2003, seeing off all challengers for his place.
His career at the club imploded in 2005 after a behind-the-scenes rant to MUTV that saw his contract terminated. It was an exit in true Roy-Keane style, controversy was never far away from anywhere he went.
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes will go down as one of the greatest Manchester United midfielders of all time, with a dangerous ability to score goals from midfield, and create them.
Scholes was an integral figure for different iterations of Ferguson’s teams, and even came out of retirement to win another league title, after he had called it quits.
Nicky Butt
Nicky Butt‘s best years at Manchester United came in the early 2000s, after the high of the Treble win in 1999.
Butt’s United performances saw him become a key player for England at World Cup 2002 too, even earning praise from Pele.
After this he began to get phased out at United end left United in 2004 to join Newcastle, with 387 club appearances to his name.
David Beckham
David Beckham was an irrepressible figure at Manchester United at the turn of the century, when his footballing ability matched his fame.
Beckham’s performance in the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in 2003 was so good that it convinced the Spanish side to buy him.
Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to move on from ‘Becks’, and it was a huge call when he made it. Beckham’s passing and free-kick ability is right up there with the best in Manchester United history.
Juan Sebastian Veron
After a £28.1 million move from Lazio, Manchester United had incredibly high hopes for Juan Sebastian Veron, a player with great talent.
Veron’s passing and ability to score spectacular goals was evident during his time at the club, but it was not consistent enough.
He found it difficult to break up the Keane and Scholes partnership, but did help United to an impressive 2002/03 title win.
Michael Carrick
Sir Alex Ferguson trialled a few low-cost options in the mid-2000s that did not really work, and Michael Carrick was the one who turned that around.
Carrick made an instant impact, helping United to win the title in 2006/07 in his first season at the club, the first of three titles in a row, plus the Champions League.
He played more than 40 games for United in eight consecutive seasons, and ended up spending 12 years at the club.
Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves only really had one true season at Manchester United, before injuries took their toll and wrecked him time at the club.
To Hargreaves’ credit, his one season was an impactful one, playing 34 games on the way to winning the Premier League and Champions League.
Anderson
Signed as a rising star in 2007, Anderson quickly became a fan favourite with his combative midfield style.
He failed to fulfil his potential and his career went off-track after Sir Alex Ferguson retired, but you cannot take away from his 181 appearances and four league titles.
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs is also in our list of forwards, and it is testament to his ability and versatility that he makes our list of midfielders too.
Giggs reinvented himself during the latter years of his career as a central midfielder. He was 37-years-old when he scored away at Schalke and ran the show in the 2011 Champions League semi-final. A true evergreen great.
Park Ji-Sung
While there are other players on this list who ticked the ‘flair’ boxes more than Park Ji-Sung, the South Korean midfielder’s energy made him a key squad player for Sir Alex Ferguson.
He made 205 appearances for United, and had a knack of scoring important goals. Just ask Liverpool and Arsenal.
Scott McTominay
You only appreciate what you have got until it’s gone. Scott McTominay‘s reputation and love from United fans is greater now than it ever was during his time at the club.
An academy graduate, McTominay played during a difficult era, scoring 29 goals in 255 appearances for the club between 2017 and 2024.
Ander Herrera
Ander Herrera played for United between 2014 and 2020, and made 189 appearances for the club in total.
His man-marking job on Eden Hazard in 2017 lives in the memory, testament to his ability to take a specific task and execute to the best of his ability.
Paul Pogba
Manchester United’s record signing, Paul Pogba had to try and live up to the £89 million price tag. The pressure proved to be too much.
Pogba had the ability, he showed this with a stunning four-assist performance against Leeds in 2021, but he was unable to produce this kind of performance consistently enough.
The Frenchman’s time at the club was a disappointment ultimately, he failed to win a single Champions League knockout game during his stint.
Who is the BEST Manchester United centre-back 2000-2025? Cast your vote! đŸ—³️
The top TWO make it into our best XI
Nemanja Matic
Signed in 2017, Nemanja Matic was seen as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League at the time.
Matic played 189 games for the club, but sadly his time coincide with a trophyless four-year spell, where he was left out of the 2021 Europa League Final.
Bruno Fernandes
Signed in 2020, Bruno Fernandes was an instant hit, who evoked memories of Paul Scholes for his passing and scoring ability.
Fernandes is the highest scoring United player in the 2020s, surging past 100 goals already, and getting close to triple-figures for assists. There is still more to come. Oh, and he’s the club captain too.
Casemiro
Casemiro signed for United in 2022 and quickly raised the standard of the club’s midfield, providing an instant fix.
The Brazilian’s best days are behind him and there have been some shaky moments, but even into his fourth season at Old Trafford, Casemiro continues to give it all he’s got, and he is a class act.
Kobbie Mainoo
We have only seen glimpses, but we have to reference the FA Youth Cup winning wonderkid who score the winning goal in the 2024 FA Cup Final.
Kobbie Mainoo‘s future at the club is uncertain right now, but if he can stick around and re-establish himself as a starter, the youngster has the ability to become one of United’s greats.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/cPIr5Gg