Jonny Evans facts for kids
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Evans playing for Northern Ireland in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 January 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Manchester United | ||
| Number | 35 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2015 | Manchester United | 131 | (4) |
| 2006 | → Royal Antwerp (loan) | 11 | (2) |
| 2006–2007 | → Sunderland (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 2008 | → Sunderland (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | West Bromwich Albion | 89 | (5) |
| 2018–2023 | Leicester City | 121 | (5) |
| 2023– | Manchester United | 29 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| Northern Ireland U16 | 6 | (0) | |
| 2004–2005 | Northern Ireland U17 | 8 | (1) |
| 2006 | Northern Ireland U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2006–2024 | Northern Ireland | 107 | (6) |
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Jonathan Grant Evans (born on 3 January 1988) is a professional footballer from Northern Ireland. He plays as a centre-back for the club Manchester United.
Jonny Evans started his football journey at Manchester United as a young player. To gain experience, he played on loan for Royal Antwerp and Sunderland. He made his first team debut for Manchester United in the 2007–08 League Cup. He became a regular player and played almost 200 matches for the club. During his eight years there, he won three Premier League titles and many other awards.
In 2015, he moved to West Bromwich Albion. After West Brom was relegated three years later, Evans joined Leicester City. With Leicester, he won the FA Cup in 2021. After Leicester City was also relegated in 2023, Evans returned to his old club, Manchester United.
Evans is one of the most successful players in Northern Irish football history. He played over 100 matches for the Northern Ireland national team. He was a key player when the team reached the last 16 at UEFA Euro 2016. He retired from international football in 2024.
Contents
Club Career
Early Years at Manchester United
Jonny Evans was first noticed while playing for Greenisland. This was the same club where his younger brother Corry and Craig Cathcart also played before joining Manchester United. When he was nine, he was invited to the Manchester United Centre of Excellence in Belfast. A year later, he had a trial in Manchester.
Because of new rules, clubs could only sign players who lived close by. So, Evans' family moved to Manchester, which allowed him to train full-time with the club. He moved up through Manchester United's youth teams. He even played in some friendly matches and tournaments in 2006.
Playing on Loan
To get more experience, Evans played for other clubs on loan.
Loan to Royal Antwerp
In the first half of the 2006–07 season, Evans played on loan for Royal Antwerp in Belgium. This club was connected to Manchester United.
Loans to Sunderland
In December 2006, Evans joined Sunderland on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season. He helped Sunderland win the Championship title, which meant they were promoted to the Premier League. Evans also won the club's Youth Player of the Year award.
He returned to Sunderland for a second loan spell on 4 January 2008. He played 15 league games and helped Sunderland stay in the Premier League.
Manchester United First Team
Evans made his first team debut for Manchester United on 26 September 2007. This was in a League Cup match against Coventry City. He later played as a substitute in a UEFA Champions League game. He also made his first Champions League start on 12 December 2007 against Roma.
He made his league debut for United on 21 September 2008 in a 1–1 draw with Chelsea. In December 2008, Evans played in the FIFA Club World Cup, helping United win the trophy. He continued to play regularly, including in the League Cup final.
At the start of the 2010–11 season, Evans became a regular player in the United team. He often played alongside Nemanja Vidić in defense.
Goals and Milestones (2011–2015)
Before the 2011–12 season, Evans was given the number 6 shirt. On 30 November, he played his 100th game for Manchester United. On 18 March 2012, he scored his first goal for the club in a 5–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
After recovering from an ankle injury, Evans scored his second goal for the club on 7 October 2012 against Newcastle United. On 23 October, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal at Old Trafford. He scored his third goal of the season on 24 November 2012 against Queens Park Rangers. On 21 December 2012, Evans signed a new contract with United. He scored another league goal on Boxing Day in a 4–3 win against Newcastle.
West Bromwich Albion
Evans joined West Bromwich Albion on 29 August 2015. He made his debut for the club on 12 September 2015. On 2 January 2016, Evans scored his first goal for West Brom against Stoke City. At the end of his first season, he received the Players' Player of the Season award.
He scored his next goal on 3 December 2016 against Watford. His final goal for the club came in a match against Swansea.
In July 2017, Evans was named the permanent captain of West Bromwich Albion. He scored his first goal of the season on 30 September 2017 against Watford. His second goal was against Brighton on 13 January 2018, which helped his team win their first league game in five months.
Leicester City
In June 2018, Evans signed a three-year contract with Leicester City. He made his debut for Leicester on 18 August 2018 in a 2–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He scored his first goal for the club on 23 February 2019 against Crystal Palace.
On 12 July 2020, Evans played his 400th game in English football. Before the 2022–23 season, Evans became the captain of Leicester City.
Return to Manchester United
After leaving Leicester City, Evans trained with Manchester United. On 18 July, it was announced he had signed a short-term deal. On 1 September, he signed a one-year contract with the club. Two days later, he made his return debut against Arsenal.
On 23 September, Evans made his first start of the season against Burnley. He assisted the winning goal scored by Bruno Fernandes. This game also marked his 200th appearance for Manchester United in all competitions.
Evans played in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City, helping United win 2–1. This meant he had won every major trophy possible with United. On 12 July 2024, Evans signed a new one-year contract. He also played in the 2024 FA Community Shield, where United lost to Manchester City in a penalty shootout.
On 19 December 2024, Evans scored his first goal since returning to Manchester United. This was in a Carabao Cup match against Tottenham.
International Career
Before playing for Manchester United's senior team, Evans was called up to the Northern Ireland national squad in September 2006. He made his debut in a memorable 3–2 victory over Spain. On 28 March 2009, Evans scored his first international goal in a 3–2 win against Poland.
On 28 May 2016, Evans was chosen for Northern Ireland's squad for UEFA Euro 2016. This was the first time Northern Ireland had reached the finals of this competition. The team made it to the last 16, where they were knocked out by Wales. Evans played in all four of Northern Ireland's games in the tournament.
His second international goal came on 4 September 2017 against the Czech Republic. Northern Ireland then played in a playoff to qualify for the World Cup, but they were eliminated.
Evans scored his third international goal against Belarus in the Euro 2020 qualification phase. On 27 September 2022, he became the fourth player to make 100 appearances for Northern Ireland.
On 28 August 2024, after playing 107 games, Evans retired from international football.
Personal Life
Jonny Evans was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He attended Belfast High School before moving to Ashton-on-Mersey School in Manchester when he joined Manchester United. He achieved excellent grades in his exams.
On 1 June 2013, Evans married Helen McConnell, who was a reporter for MUTV. They have three children.
In 2023, Evans was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to football in Northern Ireland.
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 | ||
| Manchester United | 2006–07 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 30 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| Total | 131 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 31 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 198 | 7 | ||
| Royal Antwerp (loan) | 2006–07 | Belgian Second Division | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 2 | |||
| Sunderland (loan) | 2006–07 | Championship | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2015–16 | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 2 | |||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 2 | |||
| Total | 89 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 96 | 5 | ||||
| Leicester City | 2018–19 | Premier League | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 46 | 2 | |||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 28 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 121 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 152 | 7 | ||
| Manchester United | 2023–24 | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 414 | 17 | 34 | 0 | 35 | 3 | 48 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 537 | 23 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 2006 | 3 | 0 |
| 2007 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 107 | 6 | |
- Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 March 2009 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Poland |
2–1 | 3–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 4 September 2017 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Czech Republic |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 24 March 2019 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Belarus |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 4 | 14 October 2019 | Stadion Letná, Prague, Czech Republic | Czech Republic |
2–0 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 5 | 12 June 2022 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Cyprus |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C |
| 6 | 7 September 2023 | Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia |  Slovenia |
2–3 | 2–4 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
Honours
Sunderland
- Football League Championship: 2006–07
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
- FA Cup: 2023–24
- Football League Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10
- FA Community Shield: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013
- UEFA Champions League: 2007–08
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
Leicester City
- FA Cup: 2020–21
Orders
- Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE): 2023
See also
In Spanish: Jonny Evans para niños
Images for kids
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Evans playing for Northern Ireland in 2019
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Evans playing for Manchester United in 2009
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Evans playing for West Bromwich Albion in 2017
