Luke Shaw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Luke Shaw

Shaw playing for Manchester United in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(1995-07-12) 12 July 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England
Height	5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m)
Playing position	Left-back
Club information
Current club	Manchester United
Number	23
Youth career
2002–2011	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2011–2014	Southampton	60	(0)
2014–	Manchester United	193	(3)
National team‡
2011	England U16	6	(1)
2011–2012	England U17	8	(1)
2013–2014	England U21	5	(0)
2014–	England	34	(3)
Honours Men's football Representing  England UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2020 Team Runner-up 2024 Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:32, 1 December 2024 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 01:35, 15 July 2024 (UTC)

Luke Paul Hoare Shaw (born 12 July 1995) is a professional footballer from England. He plays as a left-back for the Premier League club Manchester United. He also plays for the England national team.

Luke started his career in the youth system at Southampton. He played his first game for their main team in January 2012. He signed his first professional contract in May of that year. Over the next two seasons, he became a regular player for Southampton. In June 2014, Manchester United signed Shaw for £30 million. This was a world record transfer fee for a teenage player at the time.

Shaw played his first senior international game for England in March 2014. It was a 1–0 friendly win against Denmark. Later that year, he was chosen for the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. He scored his first goal for England in the UEFA Euro 2020 final. This was also the fastest goal ever scored in a UEFA European Championship final.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Luke Paul Hoare Shaw was born on 12 July 1995 in Kingston upon Thames, London. He grew up in Molesey, Surrey. He went to Chandlers Field Primary School and Rydens Enterprise School. There, he helped his school team reach the semi-finals of a big football competition. He started playing football with local youth teams called Hersham and Molesey Juniors.

Luke was a big fan of Chelsea when he was growing up. He looked up to their left-back, Ashley Cole. He even played at Chelsea's training centre for young players. However, he was not offered a spot in their main academy. He has said that he always wanted to play for Chelsea one day.

Club Career Highlights

Playing for Southampton

Starting Out at Southampton

In 2002, when Luke was seven, he joined the Southampton Academy. By the age of 15, he was a regular player for the under-18 team. He first got close to the main team in September 2011. He was a substitute in a League Cup match but did not play.

In January 2012, some big clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City were interested in signing the 16-year-old Shaw. Southampton was in the Championship at the time. They reportedly valued him at £4 million. Southampton's manager, Nigel Adkins, quickly said that Luke Shaw was a big part of their future. He stated the club had no plans to let any young players leave.

Luke made his first game for Southampton's main team on 28 January 2012. He was 16 years old. It was an FA Cup match against Millwall. He came on as a substitute for the last 13 minutes. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. After Southampton was promoted to the top league in May 2012, Luke was one of four young players offered a professional contract.

Becoming a Regular Player

Shaw playing for Southampton in 2013

Shaw started his first game for Southampton in August 2012. He played the whole game in a 4–1 win over Stevenage in the League Cup. On 10 November 2012, he became the youngest Southampton player to start a Premier League match. He played as a left-back against Swansea City. The game was a 1–1 draw.

He kept playing regularly throughout that season. In January 2013, he helped set up a goal in a 2–2 draw against Chelsea. He crossed the ball for another player to score. Luke finished his first professional season with 28 games played for Southampton. This included 25 games in the Premier League.

On 12 July 2013, Luke Shaw signed a new five-year contract with Southampton. In the first game of the 2013–14 season, he helped Southampton win against West Bromwich Albion. He was fouled in the penalty area, leading to a penalty kick that won the game. On 18 April 2014, Shaw was one of six players nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also chosen as the best left-back in the 2013–14 PFA Team of the Year.

Joining Manchester United

First Years at Old Trafford

Shaw playing for Manchester United in 2015

On 27 June 2014, Shaw signed a four-year contract with Manchester United. The transfer fee was reportedly around £30 million. This made him the most expensive teenager in world football at the time. Chelsea was also interested in him, but they decided not to sign him.

Before the season started, Shaw got a hamstring injury. This kept him out of action for a month. He was a substitute for Manchester United for the first time on 14 September. He made his official debut for United on 27 September 2014. He played the whole game in a 2–1 home win against West Ham United.

In October 2014, Shaw was on a list of 40 players for the 2014 Golden Boy award. This award goes to the best young player in Europe under 21. On 8 February 2015, Shaw was sent off in a 1–1 draw with West Ham. On 18 April, he returned to the starting team. He played well and was praised by his captain, Wayne Rooney.

Luke started every league game at the beginning of the 2015–16 season. But on 15 September 2015, during a Champions League game, he suffered a very serious injury. He broke his leg in two places after a tackle. He was out of action for six months. He returned to training on 4 April 2016.

Return and Awards

On 7 August 2016, Shaw played his first game since his leg injury. Manchester United won 2–1 against Leicester City to win the 2016 FA Community Shield.

On 10 August 2018, Shaw scored his first goal for the senior team. It was in the first league game of the season against Leicester City. Manchester United won 2–1. Shaw also won the club's Player of the Month award in August and again in September. He signed a new five-year contract with United on 18 October 2018. In April, he won his third Player of the Month award for the season. At the end of the season, Shaw was voted Manchester United Players' Player of the Year. He also won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award.

On 5 March 2020, Shaw scored his only goal of that season. It was in a 3–0 FA Cup win against Derby County.

Recent Seasons (2020–Present)

On 2 February 2021, Shaw made two assists in Manchester United's record-equalling 9–0 home win against Southampton. On 7 March, Shaw scored his first league goal since August 2018. It was in the derby win against Manchester City.

On 20 December 2022, Shaw's contract was extended for another year. In January 2023, Shaw played in a new position as a centre-back. He played very well and received good reviews. He helped Manchester United win the 2023 EFL Cup final against Newcastle United 2–0. On 4 April, Manchester United announced that Shaw had signed a new four-year contract. This will keep him at the club until June 2027.

International Career

Playing for England's Youth Teams

Shaw first played for England in 2011. He made six appearances for the England under-16 team. He played his first game against Slovenia in February. He scored his first international goal against Uruguay in a tournament. He then played for the under-17 team in August. He played eight games for them over seven months.

In January 2013, Shaw was going to be called up to the England under-21 team. The manager, Stuart Pearce, called him "an outstanding talent". However, Luke got injured in training and could not play. He was called up several more times but had to pull out due to injuries. He finally made his England under-21 debut on 5 September. It was a qualification match for the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Playing for the Senior England Team

Shaw with England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

On 27 February 2014, Shaw was called up to the England senior team for the first time. It was for a friendly game against Denmark. He made his debut in that match, coming on as a substitute. England won the game 1–0. On 12 May 2014, Shaw was chosen for Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was chosen over the experienced player Ashley Cole. Luke was England's second-choice left-back. He played his first World Cup game in the last group match, a 0–0 draw with Costa Rica. He was the youngest player to appear in the 2014 tournament.

Shaw missed UEFA Euro 2016 because of his broken leg. He was also not chosen for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He returned to the team in 2018 for a game against Spain. He made an assist in that game but had to leave due to a head injury. He did not play for England again until March 2021.

Shaw was part of the England squad for UEFA Euro 2020. On 11 July 2021, Shaw scored the fastest goal ever in a European Championship final. It was against Italy in the UEFA Euro 2020 final. He scored after only two minutes. However, his goal was not enough to win the title for England. Italy won after a penalty shoot-out.

Shaw was also in the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He started all five of England's games as a left-back. He assisted a goal in a 6–2 win over Iran.

On 6 June 2024, Shaw was named in England's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. The manager, Gareth Southgate, said it was a "gamble" because Luke had been injured. Shaw played his first game of the tournament in the quarter-final against Switzerland. He came on as a substitute.

Style of Play

ESPN has said that Shaw is one of the best left-backs in the world. They praise his "defensive positioning and reading the game." As a left-back who likes to attack, Shaw has been compared to former Southampton player Gareth Bale. People notice his speed, good decision-making, and defending skills.

Former England player Trevor Brooking has described Shaw as "technically very gifted." He has also received praise and comparisons to the famous former Brazil left-back Roberto Carlos. This happened during England's run to the Euro 2020 Final.

Career Statistics

Club

International

England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Shaw goal

List of international goals scored by Luke Shaw

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	11 July 2021	Wembley Stadium, London, England	16	Italy	1–0	1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–3 p)	UEFA Euro 2020
2	26 March 2022	Wembley Stadium, London, England	20	Switzerland	1–1	2–1	Friendly
3	26 September 2022	Wembley Stadium, London, England	23	Germany	1–2	3–3	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A

Honours and Awards

Manchester United

• EFL Cup: 2022–23
• FA Community Shield: 2016
• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2020–21
• FA Cup runner-up: 2022–23

England

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2020, 2024

Individual Awards

• PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 Premier League, 2020–21 Premier League
• Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 2018–19
• Manchester United Players' Player of the Year: 2018–19, 2020–21

See also

In Spanish: Luke Shaw para niños