MANCHESTER UNITED have provided some of England’s finest ever players.
The Three Lions two top goalscorers – Sir Bobby Charlton and Wayne Rooney – were both best for their country during their time at Old Trafford.
Other names trip off the tongue – Beckham, Robson, Ferdinand.
So, we at SunSport decided to pick our ultimate Manchester United England XI of players who starred for the Red Devils while winning caps for their country.
To be included, they must have won at least one cap while playing for United, although their total number of appearances have been included below…
GK: Alex Stepney (1 cap)
WOULD surely have won more than the solitary England cap had he not played in the same era as Gordon Banks.
But was the undisputed No1 for United – and his vital save from Eusebio in the 1968 European Cup final is rightly in Old Trafford folklore.
RB: Gary Neville (85 caps)
ENGLAND’S most-capped right-back played in three European Championships and two World Cups and was a regular for more than a decade.
Neville’s partnership down the flank with David Beckham was crucial for club and country.
CB: Rio Ferdinand (81 caps, 3 goals)
AN absolute Rolls-Royce of a centre-half for United and England in the Noughties.
Quick, composed and good in the air, even scoring at a World Cup.
Missed Euro 2004 after being banned following a missed drugs test – had Ferdinand played, England may have won it.
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CB: Harry Maguire (30 caps, 2 goals)
UNITED’S £85million current captain has his critics, but Maguire would form a superb centre-back partnership with Ferdinand in this team.
His ability on the ball gives him the edge over Gary Pallister.
LB: Phil Neville (59 caps)
PERHAPS best remembered in an England jersey for conceding a penalty against Romania at Euro 2000, the younger Neville nevertheless went to three Euros and briefly captained his country (he did, we’re not making this up).
Was a solid foil for the Red Devils at full-back or in midfield.
RW: David Beckham (115 caps, 17 goals)
GOLDENBALLS had the Midas touch when in the red of United and the white of England.
Becks will always be remembered for his halfway-line goal for Red Devils against Wimbledon – and, of course, THAT free-kick against Greece to take the Three Lions to the 2002 World Cup.
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CM: Duncan Edwards (18 caps, 5 goals)
WOULD possibly have been United and England’s best-ever player had he not lost his life in the Munich Air Disaster in 1958, aged just 21.
Could play anywhere and do everything, had a great touch and a tough streak. The ultimate Busby Babe.
CM: Bryan Robson (90 caps, 26 goals)
DRAGGED United through the mid-late Eighties and early Nineties, fully justifying his ‘Captain Marvel’ nickname.
Robson was equally important for his country, famously scoring against France after just 27 seconds at the 1982 World Cup.
LW: Paul Scholes (66 caps, 14 goals)
WELL, if it’s good enough for Sven-Goran Eriksson… but on a serious note, you could not omit Scholes from a team of Man Utd’s best England players.
At his best, he was a magician for club and country. This gives him the edge in this side over World Cup winner Nobby Stiles.
CF: Wayne Rooney (120 caps, 53 goals)
TOP goalscorer for England, top goalscorer for United – no more justification is needed for the inclusion of Rooney.
There were plenty of Wayne’s Worldies as well in red, and in white. Probably the easiest selection…
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CF: Sir Bobby Charlton (106 caps, 49 goals)
OR maybe this was the most straightforward pick. Top goalscorer for both England and United until Rooney’s intervention, Charlton also netted in a World Cup semi-final, which gives him the edge. A rocket of a shot with either foot.
A lot of superb strikers miss out – Andrew Cole, Teddy Sheringham, Dennis Viollet, Tommy Taylor – but you cannot really argue with the selection of Rooney and Charlton.
Others may be more contentious – let us know what you think!
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