Manchester United on verge of breaking long standing first-team record since 1937

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :August 1, 2025 at 10:38 PM

Modified at :August 1, 2025 at 10:38 PM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

The Red Devils have named at least one player who graduated from the academy in every first team game since 1937.

Manchester United are well known for possessing one of the top football academies in the world. Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, and David Beckham were all graduates of the Class of ’92.

Academy players have played a key part in the Red Devils’ Premier League dominance era, during which manager Sir Alex Ferguson led them to 13 top-flight titles.

Manchester United could break their one interesting record related to the academy that dates back to 1937

As the new season draws closer, Manchester United may be about to break a record that has stood for almost 88 years and more than 4,000 games.

The Athletic claims that from October 1937, Manchester United have included a player from their academy in each of their first teams. That includes a run of 18 league titles, three European Cups, 44 major trophies, and 4,321 games.

However, if players like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are sold, that run suddenly appears “unusually vulnerable” ahead of the 2025–26 campaign.

Manchester United UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Getty — It won’t be a very good moment for the renowned club and its academy, if the record breaks (Photo by Getty Images)

The latter may remain where he is, but the former is considering a move to Chelsea. But that incredible Red Devils academy run might ultimately come to an end if the 20-year-old sustains an injury or is suspended. It would lead to United naming a first-team squad for a match without an academy graduate.

According to statistics, there were an average of 4.51 academy players in each first-team squad for United last season, which was a decrease of 6.65 from the season before. It may even hit the lowest figure in thirty years in the next campaign.

In addition to hoping to hold onto some of their top academy graduates, Manchester United may see some fresh talent advance through the ranks and continue their successful run of integrating them into the first team. But in the end, considering how things are going at the club and the ways of the manager, Ruben Amorim’s group will prioritise outcomes over these kinds of records.

Since when have Man Utd included an academy player in the senior team?

The Red Devils have picked an academy player for the first team squad since October 1937.

Who are the current academy players in the United squad?

Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo remain the only two academy players in the team.

What were the statistics from last year of academy players in the United squad?

There were an average of 4.51 youth players in each first-team squad at United last season.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.