Jack Wilshere facts for kids
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Wilshere playing for West Ham United in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 January 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Stevenage, England | ||
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (1.72 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Norwich City (first team coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001 | Luton Town | ||
| 2001–2008 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2008–2018 | Arsenal | 125 | (7) |
| 2010 | → Bolton Wanderers (loan) | 14 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | → AFC Bournemouth (loan) | 27 | (0) |
| 2018–2020 | West Ham United | 16 | (0) |
| 2021 | AFC Bournemouth | 14 | (1) |
| 2022 | AGF | 14 | (0) |
| Total | 210 | (9) | |
| National team | |||
| 2006–2007 | England U16 | 3 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | England U17 | 10 | (1) |
| 2009 | England U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | England U21 | 7 | (0) |
| 2010–2016 | England | 34 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2022–2024 | Arsenal U18 | ||
| 2024– | Norwich City (first-team coach) | ||
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Jack Andrew Garry Wilshere (born January 1, 1992) is a famous English football coach and former player. He played as a midfielder for many years. Today, he is a first team coach for EFL Championship club Norwich City.
Jack Wilshere started his football journey at Arsenal's youth academy. He made his first team debut in 2008. At just 16 years and 256 days old, he became Arsenal's youngest player to play in a league match. He won several awards, including the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also chosen for the 2010–11 PFA Team of the Year.
After leaving Arsenal in 2018, Wilshere played for West Ham United. He also had short times playing for AFC Bournemouth and AGF. In 2022, he announced he was stopping his playing career.
Wilshere also played for the England national team 34 times. Before that, he played for England's younger teams. He made his debut for the senior team when he was 18. This made him one of the youngest players ever to play for England. He played for England in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016.
Contents
Jack Wilshere's Early Life and Youth Career
Jack Wilshere was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England. He grew up in nearby Hitchin. He was the captain of his school football team, The Priory School. His team won several County and District Cups. They also won the Under 15s National Cup.
Jack was a big fan of West Ham United when he was a boy. His favourite player was Paolo Di Canio.
Starting His Journey at Arsenal Academy
Wilshere joined the Arsenal Academy in October 2001. He was nine years old at the time. Before that, he had a short time in the Luton Town youth program. He quickly moved up through the different age groups at Arsenal.
When he was 15, he became the captain of the Under-16s team. He also played a few games for the Under-18s. In 2007, he played in the Champions Youth Cup in Malaysia. After that, Arsenal Academy coach Steve Bould gave him a starting spot for the Under-18s.
He scored his first goal against Aston Villa Under-18s. He also scored a hat-trick against Watford Under-18s. In his first full season with the Under-18s, he scored 13 goals in 18 games. Most of these goals happened when he was only 15.
In February 2008, he played his first game for Arsenal Reserves. He was 16 years old. He scored Arsenal's only goal in that match. He also scored a great goal against West Ham reserves in March. Arsenal's first-team manager, Arsène Wenger, was watching.
Jack played a big part in Arsenal winning the 2008–09 FA Youth Cup in 2009. He scored goals in the semi-final. In the final against Liverpool, he was named man-of-the-match. He helped with two goals and scored one himself.
Jack Wilshere's Professional Club Career
Playing for Arsenal's First Team
Arsène Wenger gave Wilshere a spot in Arsenal's first-team squad for the 2008–09 season. He was given the number 19 shirt. He played his first official game in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers in September 2008. He came on as a substitute for Robin van Persie.
At 16 years and 256 days old, he became Arsenal's youngest-ever player in a league game. This record was previously held by Cesc Fàbregas. Ten days later, on September 23, Wilshere scored his first goal for Arsenal. It was in a 6–0 win against Sheffield United in the League Cup.
In November 2008, Wilshere played in a UEFA Champions League match. He became one of the youngest players ever to play in that competition. In 2009, he signed his first professional contract with Arsenal.
For the 2009–10 season, Wilshere played well in friendly games. He scored twice and was named man of the match twice in the Emirates Cup. In September 2009, he started for Arsenal in a League Cup win against West Bromwich Albion.
Loan Spell at Bolton Wanderers
On January 29, 2010, Wilshere joined Bolton Wanderers on a loan until the end of the season. He made his first league start for Bolton in February. He scored his first Premier League goal in March 2010 against West Ham United. He played very well at Bolton. The club tried to keep him for another season, but it didn't happen.
Becoming a Key Player for Arsenal (2010-2013)
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Wilshere started the 2010–11 season by playing for the senior England team. He became one of England's youngest players ever. He also played in all of Arsenal's first three Premier League matches. He showed great form.
He continued to play well through October. However, he received a red card in a 2–1 win against Birmingham City. This meant he missed the rest of the domestic games that month. But he did score Arsenal's fourth goal in a 5–1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in a European match.
Wilshere often played alongside Alex Song in the middle of Arsenal's midfield. Their teamwork was clear in a big match against Manchester United, which Arsenal won 1–0. The then-England manager Fabio Capello called Wilshere "the future." He said he wanted Wilshere to play a key defensive role for England. Wilshere finished the season having played 49 games for Arsenal.
Battling Injuries (2011-2012)
Before the 2011–12 season, Wilshere got a stress fracture in his ankle. This happened during a friendly game. Arsène Wenger said the news was "very positive" but that Jack would be out for a while. After surgery, Wilshere played very few games for Arsenal.
His recovery was slow. Wenger said it was hard to set a date for his return. Wilshere was eventually ruled out for the entire 2011–12 season. This injury also meant he missed the 2012 Summer Olympics and England's UEFA Euro 2012 tournament.
Returning to Action (2012-2013)
Wilshere kept working to recover from his ankle injury. He had been out for the whole previous season. He finally returned to the first team, playing his first Premier League game in 17 months. This was in a win over Queens Park Rangers.
He made an instant impact and was named man of the match. Jack said it felt "amazing to be back." He continued to play well for Arsenal. In December, he signed a new long-term contract with the club. Arsène Wenger was very happy about this.
In early 2013, Wilshere continued his great performances. He played in all eight of Arsenal's matches that month. He scored the winning goal against Swansea City in the FA Cup. He was given the captain's armband when the regular captain was injured. Wenger said Wilshere was "naturally a guy who is not scared of anything." He added that Jack was already a leader for the club.
More Success and Injuries (2013-2016)
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Wilshere started the season playing on the left side of the field. This was because other players were injured. He scored his first goal of the season in October 2013 against West Bromwich Albion. He scored again against Norwich City.
In November, he scored his first two goals in one game against Olympique de Marseille in the UEFA Champions League. His first goal was very fast, scored in just 29 seconds.
In December, Wilshere made a rude hand gesture during a match against Manchester City. He was given a two-match ban for this.
In January 2014, Wilshere helped Arsenal win 2–1 against Aston Villa. He scored one goal and then helped Olivier Giroud score another right after. He also helped Santi Cazorla score in a 2–0 win over Fulham.
In March, he got another injury to his left foot during an England friendly game. This kept him out for over six weeks. He missed important Arsenal games and an FA Cup semi-final. On May 17, Wilshere came on as a substitute in the 2014 FA Cup Final. Arsenal beat Hull City 3–2 at Wembley Stadium. This was Arsenal's first trophy since 2005.
On May 28, Wilshere's goal against Norwich was voted BBC Goal of the Season. It received 42% of the votes.
In August 2014, Wilshere started for Arsenal as they won the 2014 FA Community Shield. They beat Manchester City 3–0. In September, he scored and helped with a goal in a 2–2 draw against the same team.
In November, Wilshere had surgery on his left ankle and was out for three months. This was due to a ligament injury.
On May 24, 2015, Wilshere scored a great goal from outside the box. Arsenal beat West Brom 4–1. This helped Arsenal get a spot in the next season's UEFA Champions League. This goal was later voted the BBC Goal of the Season again. This made Wilshere the first player to win this award two seasons in a row.
On May 30, Wilshere came on as a substitute in the 2015 FA Cup Final. Arsenal won 4–0 against Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.
In August, Wilshere broke his fibula during pre-season training. He had surgery in September and was out for another three months. In February 2016, Wilshere said he was working hard to get fit again. He returned to play for the U-21 team in April 2016. He scored his first goal after coming back from injury. On April 24, Wilshere returned to the Arsenal first team against Sunderland.
Final Years at Arsenal (2016-2018)
On August 31, 2016, Wilshere moved to AFC Bournemouth on a loan for the 2016–17 season. He was given the number 32 shirt. He played his first game for Bournemouth in September. He won Player of the Month awards for Bournemouth in November and December 2016.
In April 2017, Wilshere suffered another hairline fracture to his left fibula. This happened during a match against Tottenham. He missed the rest of the season and returned to Arsenal for treatment.
In the summer of 2017, many clubs wanted to sign Wilshere. But Arsène Wenger said he had plans for him at Arsenal. In September, he played his first game for Arsenal since August 2016. This was in a Europa League match. In December, Wilshere scored his first Arsenal goal in over two years. This was in a 6–0 win against BATE Borisov.
His good performances meant he started in the Premier League for Arsenal for the first time since May 2016. This was in a 0–0 draw with West Ham United. He also played the full 90 minutes for the first time since September 2014. In January 2018, he scored his first Premier League goal in two and a half years. This was in a 2–2 draw with Chelsea.
On June 19, 2018, Wilshere announced he would be leaving Arsenal. His contract was ending that month.
Later Career Clubs
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Wilshere signed with West Ham United on July 9, 2018. He signed a three-year contract. He played his first game for them in August. In August 2019, he scored his first and only goal for West Ham. This was in a 2–0 win against Newport County.
His contract with West Ham ended early in October 2020. He had spent two years at the club. In that time, he played only 19 games for West Ham. He was often injured, but he also said he was sometimes fit but not chosen to play. When he left, Wilshere said he still believed he could play at the highest level of English football.
On January 18, 2021, Wilshere returned to AFC Bournemouth on a short contract. He had been training with the club since December 2020. In January, he scored in an FA Cup win against Crawley Town. This was his first goal since August 2019. In February, he scored his first league goal for Bournemouth. He was released by Bournemouth at the end of the season. He had played 17 games and scored two goals during his short return.
On February 20, 2022, Wilshere signed with Danish Superliga club AGF in Denmark. He had been without a club since leaving Bournemouth. He had also trained with Arsenal and an Italian club. AGF announced in July that they would not renew his contract. Wilshere then announced his retirement from playing football on July 8, 2022, at age 30.
Jack Wilshere's International Career
Playing for England's Youth Teams
Since 2006, Jack Wilshere played for England's youth teams in age groups older than his own. He was only 14 when he played for the England Under-16 team in 2006. At 15, he started playing for the England Under-17 team.
In May 2009, he was part of the squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He played well in the first two matches. After the tournament, he was named one of the 10 future stars. In September 2009, he also made his debut for the England Under-21 team.
Playing for the Senior England Team
On August 7, 2010, Wilshere was called up to the senior England team for the first time. This was for a friendly game against Hungary. He made his England debut in that match on August 11, 2010. He came on as a substitute. At 18 years and 222 days old, he became one of the youngest players ever to play for England.
On February 9, 2011, Wilshere started his first full game for England against Denmark. He played well and was praised by manager Fabio Capello. In March 2011, Wilshere played his first official game for England in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Wales. He played one more game in the qualifying round. However, he missed the main tournament due to injury.
On February 6, 2013, Wilshere started for England again after recovering from injury. He was named man-of-the-match as England beat Brazil 2–1. His performance was highly praised by manager Roy Hodgson and players like Steven Gerrard.
He was part of England's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a substitute in England's first group match. He started the final group match against Costa Rica. England was already out of the competition by then.
Wilshere was named man of the match in six out of seven UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying games. He scored his first goals for England in his 28th game. This was on June 14, 2015, against Slovenia. He scored two long-range goals as England won 3–2.
Wilshere was considered for the 2018 World Cup. However, on May 16, 2018, he was not chosen for Gareth Southgate's squad for the tournament.
Jack Wilshere's Coaching Career
On July 11, 2022, just four days after stopping his playing career, Wilshere was announced as the head coach of the Arsenal Under-18 team. In his first season, he led the team to the final of the 2022–23 FA Youth Cup. They lost to West Ham in the final.
On October 23, 2024, Wilshere left Arsenal. He joined EFL Championship club Norwich City as a first team coach. He now works under head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup.
Jack Wilshere's Style of Play
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As a player, Wilshere was known for his movement, vision, and passing skills. He also showed leadership on the field. Arsène Wenger described him as having "Spanish technique, but an English heart." Owen Coyle, his manager at Bolton, praised his ability to "tackle and take a knock." This was impressive because he wasn't a very tall player.
Wilshere played in many different positions. These included attacking midfielder, winger, and most often, as a deep-lying central midfielder. Wenger said Wilshere was "a box-to-box player." This means he could play all over the midfield.
After he came back from injury in the 2012–13 season, many famous players praised Wilshere. Barcelona defender Dani Alves called him "a great player." He compared Wilshere's potential to Barcelona legends Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. Former Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger called Wilshere "one of the best players."
Former Italy international Gennaro Gattuso said Wilshere "has the mentality of an English player but plays like a Spanish player."
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2008–09 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 49 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 25 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 33 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 24 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | 35 | 5 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |
| Total | 125 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 197 | 14 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers (loan) | 2009–10 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | ||||
| AFC Bournemouth (loan) | 2016–17 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| West Ham United | 2018–19 | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||||
| AFC Bournemouth | 2020–21 | Championship | 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| AGF | 2021–22 | Danish Superliga | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 210 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 21 | 2 | 40 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 288 | 18 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 34 | 2 | |
- England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Wilshere goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 June 2015 | Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia | 28 |  Slovenia |
1–1 | 3–2 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying | |
| 2 | 2–1 |
Honours and Awards
Player Achievements
Arsenal U18
- FA Youth Cup: 2008–09 (Winner)
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15 (Winner)
- FA Community Shield: 2014 (Winner)
- Football League Cup/EFL Cup runner-up: 2010–11, 2017–18
Individual Awards
- BBC Goal of the Season: 2013–14, 2014–15
- PFA Young Player of the Year: 2010–11
- PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11 Premier League
- Arsenal Player of the Season: 2010–11
Manager Achievements
Arsenal U18
- FA Youth Cup runner up: 2022–23
Images for kids
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Wilshere battling with Gennaro Gattuso during a friendly match in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Jack Wilshere para niños
