Gary Neville facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gary Neville

Neville in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Gary Alexander Neville
Date of birth	(1975-02-18) 18 February 1975 (age 50)
Place of birth	Bury, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
1991–1992	Manchester United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–2011	Manchester United	400	(5)
International career
1992	England U16	1	(0)
1992–1993	England U18	8	(0)
1995–2007	England	85	(0)
Managerial career
2012–2016	England (assistant)
2015–2016	Valencia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gary Alexander Neville (born 18 February 1975) is an English football expert, former coach and player, and a co-owner of the Salford City football club. As a player, Neville was a right-back who spent his entire 20-year career with Manchester United. For five of those years, he was the team's captain.

Neville is one of the most successful English footballers ever. He won 20 major trophies, including eight Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. He played for the England national team for over 10 years, appearing in three European Championships and two World Cups.

After retiring in 2011, Neville became a popular football commentator for Sky Sports. He also had a short spell as head coach of the Spanish club Valencia and was an assistant manager for England.

Neville's brother, Phil Neville, also played for Manchester United, and his sister, Tracey Neville, was a professional netball player.

Club Career with Manchester United

The Early Years (1992–2004)

Gary Neville joined Manchester United as a trainee in 1991. He was part of a famous group of young players known as Fergie's Fledglings. This group included his brother Phil, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, and Paul Scholes. Together, they won the FA Youth Cup in their first season.

Neville made his first senior team appearance on 16 September 1992. By the 1994–95 season, he became the team's main right-back after another player got injured. He was known for his great partnership with David Beckham on the right side of the field, often helping Beckham score goals.

Although he was a defender, Neville scored a few goals in his career. His first goal was in 1997 against Middlesbrough. He scored a total of seven goals for Manchester United before he retired.

Captain and Club Legend (2005–2011)

In November 2005, after team captain Roy Keane left the club, Neville was chosen as the new captain. He was known for showing a lot of passion on the field. Once, he was fined £5,000 for celebrating a last-minute winning goal against rivals Liverpool too enthusiastically in front of their fans.

In March 2007, Neville suffered a bad ankle injury that kept him out of football for almost a year. He made his comeback in April 2008 in a UEFA Champions League match against Roma. The fans gave him a standing ovation as he came onto the pitch.

Neville playing for Manchester United in 2006.

Even after his injury, Neville continued to play an important role for the team. He signed a new contract in 2010 to stay with the club. He made his 600th appearance for Manchester United in a match against Stoke City on 24 October 2010.

Retirement from Football

On 2 February 2011, Neville announced he was retiring from football. He had played his entire professional career, almost 20 years, at Manchester United. During his time at the club, he won eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and two Champions League titles.

A special testimonial match was held for him at Old Trafford on 24 May 2011. Many of his old "Class of '92" teammates, like David Beckham and Ryan Giggs, returned to play in the game against the Italian team Juventus.

International Career with England

Neville (wearing No.2) lines up for England at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Neville made his first appearance for the England national team in 1995. He quickly became the team's first-choice right-back and played under five different managers.

He played in several major tournaments, including Euro 96, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2000, UEFA Euro 2004, and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. At Euro 96, he was the youngest starting player for England.

An injury kept him out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also had an unlucky moment in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Croatia. A simple backpass he made to the goalkeeper hit a bump in the grass, causing the keeper to miss the ball, which then rolled into the net for an own goal.

Neville played his final match for England on 7 February 2007, against Spain. In total, he played 85 times for his country.

Style of Play

Neville is considered one of England's greatest ever right-backs. He was an aggressive and determined defender known for his incredible work rate and leadership. While not the fastest or most naturally gifted player, he was very smart on the field. He understood the game well, which allowed him to be in the right place at the right time.

He was a traditional defender who focused on stopping opponents. However, he also formed a famous partnership with David Beckham on the right wing. Neville would often run forward to support the attack and deliver accurate crosses into the box for his teammates to score. His manager at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, called him "the best English right-back of his generation."

Life After Playing

Coaching and Management

After retiring, Neville became an assistant coach for the England national team under manager Roy Hodgson in 2012. He was part of the coaching staff for UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

In December 2015, he was appointed head coach of Valencia, a top club in Spain. His brother, Phil, was already a coach there. However, the job was very difficult, and after a tough few months, he left the club in March 2016.

Media Career and Business

Neville is now a very well-known football pundit on Sky Sports, especially on the show Monday Night Football. He is praised for his smart and detailed analysis of games. He often appears alongside former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, and their friendly rivalry makes the show popular.

In 2014, Neville and his "Class of '92" teammates bought Salford City, a small club near Manchester. Their goal was to help the club get promoted to the professional football leagues, which they successfully did.

Neville has also been involved in property development in Manchester, including building football-themed hotels. He and other former players also started a university called University Academy 92 to help students get a different kind of education.

Personal Life

Neville's father was a professional cricketer, and his mother worked for the football club Bury. As a boy, Gary was also a talented cricketer and played for his local team.

He married his wife, Emma Hadfield, in 2007, and they have two daughters. In 2009, he received an honorary degree from the University of Bolton for his contributions to football.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours

Manchester United

• Premier League: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2008–09
• FA Cup: 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
• Football League Cup: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10
• FA Community Shield: 1996, 1997, 2008
• UEFA Champions League: 1998–99, 2007–08
• Intercontinental Cup: 1999
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2008

England U18

• UEFA under-18 Championship: 1993

Individual

• PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2006–07
• PFA Team of the Century (1997–2007): 2007
• ESM Team of the Year: 1997–98
• FWA Tribute Award: 2012
• Premier League 20 Seasons Awards (1992–93 to 2011–12): Fantasy Teams of the 20 Seasons
• English Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2015

See also

In Spanish: Gary Neville para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more UEFA Champions League appearances
• List of one-club men in association football