Ander Herrera facts for kids
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Herrera playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ander Herrera Agüera | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 August 1989 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bilbao, Spain | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Boca Juniors | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 21 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2008 | Zaragoza | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Zaragoza B | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Zaragoza | 82 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Athletic Bilbao | 94 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2019 | Manchester United | 132 | (12) | |||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Paris Saint-Germain | 58 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2025 | Athletic Bilbao | 48 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2025– | Boca Juniors | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Spain U20 | 10 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Spain U21 | 15 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2012 | Spain Olympic | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Spain | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 May 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
Ander Herrera Agüera (born on August 14, 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for the Argentine Primera División club Boca Juniors.
Herrera started his career at Zaragoza. He then moved to Athletic Bilbao in 2011. In 2014, he joined Manchester United for €36 million. With Manchester United, he won several important trophies. These included the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League. He was even named the best player for Manchester United in the 2016–17 season.
In 2019, Herrera moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). There, he won many domestic titles. He also played in the UEFA Champions League final. In 2022, he returned to Athletic Bilbao. He helped them win the 2023–24 Copa del Rey in 2024.
Herrera has also played for Spain's national teams. He won tournaments with the under-20 and under-21 squads. He also represented Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He made his debut for the senior Spanish team in 2016.
Contents
Club Career
Early Career: Zaragoza
Ander Herrera was born in Bilbao, Spain. He began his football journey at Real Zaragoza. He made his first professional appearance in the Segunda División (Spain's second league) during the 2008–09 season. That year, he played 19 games. His team, Zaragoza, earned promotion back to La Liga (Spain's top league).
He played his first top-flight game on August 29, 2009. It was a 1–0 home win against Tenerife. In the 2009–10 season, Herrera was a key player for Zaragoza. He helped them stay in La Liga. He scored his first league goal on December 6, but his team lost 4–1 to Mallorca. He continued to play regularly for Zaragoza in the 2010–11 season.
Athletic Bilbao Journey
On February 7, 2011, Herrera agreed to join Athletic Bilbao. This move was for a five-year contract. He officially joined them on July 1. His first game for Athletic Bilbao was on August 18, 2011. It was a 0–0 draw against Trabzonspor in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League.
In his first season with the Basque club, he played 54 official matches. He scored four goals. Athletic Bilbao reached the finals of both the Copa del Rey and the Europa League that year. In his third and final season with Athletic, he played 33 league games. He helped the team qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 16 years.
Time at Manchester United
Manchester United first tried to sign Herrera in August 2013. Athletic Bilbao rejected their offer. A year later, Manchester United tried again. On June 26, 2014, Athletic announced they had rejected a €36 million bid. However, Herrera then activated his buyout clause. This allowed United to sign him. Manchester United confirmed his signing on a four-year contract that same day.
Herrera made his debut for United on August 16, 2014. It was the first game of the Premier League season. United lost 2–1 to Swansea City. He got injured soon after and missed two games. In his first game back, on September 14, 2014, he scored his first goal for the club. He also made an assist in a 4–0 win against Queens Park Rangers. He scored again in United's next game, a 5–3 loss to Leicester City.
He scored his first FA Cup goal on January 4, 2015, against Yeovil Town. He also scored an important goal against Preston North End in the FA Cup fifth round. United won that game 3–1. On April 4, he scored two goals against Aston Villa, helping United win 3–1. He was named man of the match for his performance.
Winning Trophies with United
In the Champions League play-off on August 26, 2015, Herrera scored and assisted in a 4–0 win over Club Brugge. He scored a penalty in a 3–1 win against Liverpool on September 12. He also had a great game against Everton, scoring and assisting in a 3–0 win.
On February 25, 2016, Herrera scored his first European goal at Old Trafford. It was a penalty in a 5–1 win over Midtjylland in the Europa League. A few days later, he scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Arsenal. He played in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton. He came on as a substitute and helped set up the winning goal. United went on to beat Crystal Palace 2–1 in the final. This was Herrera's first major trophy with United.
Under new manager José Mourinho, Herrera's role grew. He scored his first goal of the 2016–17 season against Northampton Town. He was praised for his performances, especially against Leicester City and Liverpool. On February 26, he started in the 2017 EFL Cup Final against Southampton. He assisted Zlatan Ibrahimović's winning goal, securing his second trophy with United.
On April 16, he had a fantastic game against Chelsea. He helped stop Eden Hazard and assisted Marcus Rashford's goal. He then scored the second goal himself in a 2–0 win. On May 18, 2017, Herrera received the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. After helping Manchester United win the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final on May 24, he was named man of the match. He dedicated this award to the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.
In the 2017–18 season, Herrera continued to fight for his place. He scored his first goal of the season on January 26, 2018, in an FA Cup win against Yeovil Town. On April 21, he scored the winning goal against Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-final.
In the 2018–19 season, Herrera scored his first goal against Southampton in a 2–2 draw. He also assisted a goal against Arsenal. Under new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Herrera scored in a 5–1 win over Cardiff City. On February 18, 2019, he scored in a 2–0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup. He was named Manchester United's Player of the Month for February. On May 11, 2019, it was confirmed that Herrera would leave United at the end of the season.
Paris Saint-Germain Adventure
On July 4, 2019, Herrera signed a five-year contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He made his league debut on September 14, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Strasbourg. Herrera scored his first goal for PSG on February 15, 2020, in a 4–4 league draw against Amiens.
In his first season at PSG, Herrera won many trophies. These included Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the Coupe de la Ligue, and the Trophée des Champions. He was also a runner-up in the UEFA Champions League. In his second season, he scored one goal in 45 matches. PSG won the Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions again.
On September 11, 2021, Herrera scored two goals in a 4–0 league win over Clermont. Four days later, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 1–1 draw against Club Brugge.
Back to Athletic Bilbao
On August 27, 2022, Herrera returned to Athletic Bilbao on loan. He was presented to 2,000 fans at San Mamés the next day. On September 17, he made his second debut for the club. He came on as a substitute in a home victory over Rayo Vallecano. On October 18, in his first start, he assisted a goal for Iñaki Williams against Getafe.
On January 31, 2023, Athletic made his move permanent. On March 2, he shared his concerns about ongoing muscle injuries. These injuries were preventing him from playing consistently. On April 22, he started a game again after three months. It was a win over Almería. In his second season back, he was part of the squad that won the Copa del Rey in 2024. He extended his contract until 2025 on June 13, 2024.
Moving to Boca Juniors
On January 17, 2025, Athletic Bilbao and Boca Juniors agreed on Herrera's transfer. He officially joined Boca Juniors, starting a new chapter in his career.
International Matches
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Herrera was part of the Spain under-20 squad. They won gold in football at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Italy.
He was chosen for the Spain under-21 squad for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark. On June 12, he scored a goal against England in a 1–1 draw. In the final against Switzerland, Herrera scored the first goal in a 2–0 win. He also played for Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
He received his first call-up to the senior team on October 3, 2016. This was for World Cup qualification games. He made his senior international debut against England on November 15, 2016. He came on as a substitute in a 2–2 draw at Wembley.
How He Plays
During his time at Manchester United, Ander Herrera was often compared to the famous player Paul Scholes. Scholes himself praised Herrera as a great signing. Herrera is known as a strong, energetic box-to-box midfielder. This means he plays all over the field, helping both in defense and attack.
He is good at passing the ball and has high energy. He moves well, understands the game, and has good technique. These skills allow him to play in different midfield roles. He can play as a defensive midfielder (number six), a central midfielder (number eight), or an attacking midfielder (number ten).
Off the Field
Ander Herrera's father, Pedro Herrera, was also a footballer. He played as a midfielder for Real Zaragoza and Celta. He also worked as a general manager for both clubs. Ander Herrera has two children with his wife, Isabel Collado.
Career Numbers
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Zaragoza B | 2008–09 | Tercera División | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | ||||
| Zaragoza | 2008–09 | Segunda División | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 19 | 2 | |||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 2 | ||||
| 2010–11 | La Liga | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 82 | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 86 | 6 | |||||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2011–12 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 9 | 2 | — | 13 | 1 | — | 54 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 35 | 2 | |||
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 33 | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 39 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 94 | 7 | 17 | 2 | — | 17 | 2 | — | 128 | 11 | ||||
| Manchester United | 2014–15 | Premier League | 26 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 8 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 27 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | 41 | 5 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 2 | |
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 22 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 3 | ||
| Total | 132 | 12 | 21 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 189 | 20 | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 4 | ||
| Total | 58 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 95 | 6 | ||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2022–23 | La Liga | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 20 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 0 | ||||
| 2024–25 | La Liga | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
| Total | 48 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 0 | |||
| Boca Juniors | 2025 | Argentine Primera División | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Career total | 429 | 32 | 60 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 69 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 577 | 45 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | |
Awards and Trophies
Manchester United
- FA Cup: 2015–16; runner-up: 2017–18
- EFL Cup: 2016–17
- FA Community Shield: 2016
- UEFA Europa League: 2016–17
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2019–20, 2021–22
- Coupe de France: 2019–20, 2020–21
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2019–20
- Trophée des Champions: 2019, 2020
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2019–20
Athletic Bilbao
- Copa del Rey: 2023–24; runner-up: 2011–12
- UEFA Europa League: runner-up: 2011–12
Spain U20
- Mediterranean Games: 2009
Spain U21
Individual
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
- Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 2016–17
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2016–17
See also
In Spanish: Ander Herrera para niños
