The last 20 Manchester United captains

One of the Busby Babes, Viollet was a top goal scorer for Manchester United in the 1950s. His only season as captain, though, was 1959-60. It was quite the year for the captain, though, as Viollet scored 32 goals in 36 league games. He would go on to manage in the United States, though during the time before the rise of the sport across the pond.

The reason Viollet was a one-season captain? The arrival of Setters. He joined United from West Brom in 1960 and quickly became the captain. A “hard man” as opposed to a goal scorer, perhaps Matt Busby found that more palatable in a captain…for a bit. Setters only spent two seasons in the role.

Ah, the 1950s, when a guy could be a professional footballer and cricketer simultaneously. Cantwell, a full back, spent most of his career with West Ham, but he found his greatest success with United. In his first season as captain, 1962-63, he helped lead the club to the FA Cup. The Irishman would serve as captain into 1965, and stick around until 1967.

Few players potted goals like Law back in the day, whether it was with Scotland or United. In the 1963-64 season, he scored 30 league goals in 30 games. Law took over as captain from Cantwell, and found immediate success. After nearly a decade without a league title, Man United won titles in ‘65 and ‘67. A Ballon d’Or winner, injuries started to slow Law down, and he was no longer captain after 1968, though he did stick around with United through 1973, before playing a season with — heresy! — Manchester City.

When you reflexively refer to a player as “Sir,” as in “Sir Bobby Charlton,” you know they were a legend. Granted, his knighthood is tied more to his crucial role for the England team that won the 1966 World Cup, but many a Mancunian would happily knight him as well. Charlton played a staggering 606 league games with United, scoring 199 goals. He took over as captain in 1968, prior to the club winning the European Cup that year, and held the role until 1973, when at the end of his career he left the team. Few English players are as iconic as Charlton.

Well, when you serve as the captain that sees your iconic club relegated, your time is going to be brief. Yes, in the 1970s, Manchester United was relegated to the second tier of English football. Graham served as captain for the 1973-74 team that got sent down, and the next year he would be gone. Now, Graham did have a successful career, but mostly with Arsenal, where he was also a successful manager for several seasons.

Morgan, a veteran winger, stuck around when United was relegated, and he was rewarded with the captaincy. It worked out, as the Scotsman and his teammates won the Second Division and were immediately promoted. Then, back in the First Division, United rewarded Morgan by signing his replacement, and Morgan went back to Burnley, his first club.

Man U loved a Scottish captain back in the day. Buchan was on the team that got relegated, and then promoted, and then took over for his teammate Morgan as captain. The centre back had the role through 1982 when injuries effectively ended his run with United.

We cover quite a bit of ground here. Robson is the longest-serving captain in Man U history. He took over for the 1982-83 season, when the club won the FA Cup. In fact, under Robson’s lengthy captaincy the club won four FA Cups. Captain through 1994, the midfielder wore the armband when the Premier League debuted, and Robson helped them to two early Premier League titles.

For over 20 years, Bruce has been managing all over England. Sure, his teams are usually unsuccessful, but he has gotten job after job! Bruce’s playing career went better, especially at United. He was captain from 1993 through 1996, when his first-tier career ended and he played a few seasons in the second tier of English football.

Cantona’s captaincy was more of the “Hey, thanks for everything” variety. He was a great player, even if his legacy is tarnished by the time he jump-kicked a Crystal Palace supporter in the stands. Even with that, Manchester United named him captain for the 1996-97 season, which would be his final season before he retired. Notably, the Frenchman was the first United captain not from the U.K. or Ireland.

Keane, one of the top midfielders of his generation, served as a successful captain under Sir Alex Ferguson. Man U would have great seasons after Keane left the club at the end of the 2004-05 season, but his run was incredible. United won four Premier League titles, and Keane was captain during the treble campaign, one of the best seasons a club has ever had.

Neville was born on the outskirts of Manchester, played for United’s youth team, and then spent his entire professional career with the club. Truly, he is a local legend. The left back played 400 league games with Man U, many of them as captain. The left back was in the role from 2005 through 2010. Toward the end there he was playing a lot less, and during his final season, 2010-11, he only made four appearances across all competitions. It was time for a new captain.

When Man United moved on from Neville, they looked next to him to find the next captain. Vidic, the Serbian international, had been with the club since 2006, pairing with Rio Ferdinand in the middle of the back line. Vidic, an imposing figure on the pitch, was captain from 2010 through 2014. He then spent one healthy season with Inter Milan and one season where he didn’t see the pitch before retiring.

Well, it was probably about time. For years, Rooney had been arguably the best striker in the Premier League, and also one of the faces of the England squad. After a decade with the club, Rooney got to be captain after Vidic left. Of course, by this point the one-time great goal scorer had lost a step, but he served as captain for three seasons before going back to his boyhood club Everton.

After Rooney left, so began a run of United looking for a viable captain as the club dealt with no longer being the best team in its own city, much less the Premier League. The team went with Carrick, a longtime midfielder. However, he immediately had to deal with a heart issue that limited him to barely seeing the field, and he would retire after the 2017-18 season, his only as captain. Carrick got a chance to serve as the club’s caretaker manager briefly, and now manages Middlesbrough.

Valencia made history becoming the first non-European captain of Manchester United. Then, well, we got a repeat of the Carrick situation. The Ecuadoran barely played while serving as captain, and then after one season went back to his native country to play out the end of his career.

Well, at least this time United didn’t name a guy captain who would proceed to retire (or effectively retire, in Valencia’s case). Instead, this time United’s captain was a one-season wonder because he transferred elsewhere. Specifically, Inter Milan. Young was a star with Aston Villa before joining Man U, and then he returned to Villa after two seasons in Italy. The wide player is now with Everton.

A formidable English centre back, prior to the 2019-20 season United signed Maguire from Leicester City for a record transfer fee for a defender. He would be named captain prior to the 2020-21 season, and this time it wasn’t a one-year thing. Maguire was captain for three seasons. Then, in July 2023, manager Erik ten Hag stripped him of the captaincy. He’s still with the team, but no longer wears the armband.

Ten Hag decided to name Fernandes captain instead. To be fair, you could make a strong argument that the Portuguese midfielder has been the club’s best player since his signing in 2020. Of course, if ten Hag doesn’t start winning more, his time with the club may be short, and then will the new manager keep the Dutchman’s self-chosen captain in the role? For now, Fernandes is the man.