Phil Neville facts for kids
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Neville as manager of the England women's team in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Philip John Neville | ||
| Date of birth | 21 January 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Bury, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Full-back, midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Portland Timbers (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1994 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1994–2005 | Manchester United | 263 | (5) |
| 2005–2013 | Everton | 242 | (4) |
| Total | 505 | (9) | |
| National team | |||
| 1992–1993 | England U16 | 10 | (0) |
| 1993–1995 | England U18 | 6 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | England U21 | 7 | (0) |
| 2007 | England B | 1 | (0) |
| 1996–2007 | England | 59 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2015 | Salford City (caretaker) | ||
| 2018–2021 | England Women | ||
| 2021–2023 | Inter Miami CF | ||
| 2023– | Portland Timbers | ||
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Philip John Neville (born on January 21, 1977) is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Major League Soccer team Portland Timbers. Phil also co-owns Salford City with some of his old teammates from Manchester United.
Phil Neville played professionally for Manchester United for ten years. During this time, he helped them win many major titles. These included six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League. In 2005, he moved to Everton, where he played for eight more years until he retired. Neville also played for the England national team 59 times between 1996 and 2007. He played in three European Championships. He was a very flexible player, able to play in different positions in defence or midfield. He was most often used as a left-back.
After getting his coaching license, Neville started coaching in 2012. He coached the England under-21s. He then worked as a coach at Manchester United. He also helped his brother Gary as assistant manager at Valencia in La Liga. On January 23, 2018, Neville became the head coach of the England women's team. He led the "Lionesses" to fourth place in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting at Manchester United
Phil Neville was born in Bury, Greater Manchester. He went to Elton High School and was captain of his school football team for five years. He and his brother, Gary, joined the Manchester United Academy in 1990.
In the 1992–93 season, Phil played for the club's junior teams. He also played in the FA Youth Cup. In 1993, he signed a trainee contract. In October of that year, he played his first game for the reserve team. He made eight appearances for the reserves in the 1993–94 season. He also played 31 times for the junior teams. In May 1994, he won the Jimmy Murphy Player of the Year Award. He signed his first professional contract in June.
Phil made his first team debut for Manchester United on January 28, 1995. This was in an FA Cup match against Wrexham. Two weeks later, he played his first league game against Manchester City. He became known as one of "Fergie's Fledglings". This was a group of young players who came from Manchester United's youth system.
In August 1995, Manchester United lost a game to Aston Villa. A famous football expert, Alan Hansen, said, "You can't win anything with kids." But Manchester United, with Phil and other young players, went on to win both the league and the FA Cup that season. Phil often played at left-back, but also at right-back. He helped United win six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League.
Time with Everton
On August 4, 2005, Phil Neville joined Everton. He signed a five-year contract. His first game for Everton was against Villarreal. The next weekend, he played against his old team, Manchester United. This was the first time Phil and his brother Gary played against each other.
Phil's hard work and ability to play in many positions made him a favorite of his manager, David Moyes. In August 2006, he became the team's vice-captain. In January 2007, he became the club captain. On November 29, 2006, Phil and Gary Neville became the first brothers to captain opposing teams in the Premier League.
Phil scored his first goal for Everton on December 30, 2006. It was in a 3–0 win against Newcastle United.
On April 19, 2009, Phil scored a penalty kick against his old club, Manchester United. This helped Everton win a penalty shootout in the semi-finals and reach the final. On February 19, 2011, he scored another winning penalty in a shootout against Chelsea in the FA Cup. On April 9, 2011, he scored against Wolves. This was his first goal in three years.
On April 9, 2013, Phil announced he would leave Everton when his contract ended. He then said he was retiring from professional football.
Playing for England
Phil Neville was often chosen to play for the England national team. He made his debut on May 23, 1996, against China. He played alongside his brother Gary in this match. They were the first brothers to play together in an FA Cup-winning team and for England in the same season since 1876.
He was a regular player for England for a short time in 2000. He played as a left-back. Even though he was in the England squad for the 1996, 2000, and 2004 European Championships, he never played in a World Cup squad. He played 59 games for England.
Phil was the youngest player in England's squad for Euro 96. He did not play in any games, but his brother Gary played in most of them. He was very sad when he was not chosen for the 1998 World Cup squad.
In Euro 2000, Phil played at left-back. He was criticized after England lost to Romania. He committed a foul that led to a penalty kick, which Romania scored to win the game.
Neither Phil nor Gary Neville went to the 2002 World Cup. Phil was not chosen, and Gary was injured. Both brothers were back in the squad for Euro 2004. They hold the record for the most England appearances by a pair of brothers (142 games).
How Phil Neville Played
Phil Neville was known for his hard work and being able to play in many different positions. He could play as a full-back or wing-back, on both the left and right sides of the field. He could even play in the middle of the field as a central midfielder.
He was not the flashiest player, but he was very consistent in defence. He was also known for his leadership skills. Some people said he wasn't very fast or skilled with the ball. However, many saw him as a very important and often underestimated player in the Premier League.
Coaching and Managerial Career
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Phil Neville has a UEFA Pro Licence, which is a high-level coaching qualification. In 2012, he helped coach the England Under-21s. In March 2013, he joined their coaching staff for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
In July 2013, Neville became a first-team coach at Manchester United. He worked with manager David Moyes.
In 2014, Phil Neville, along with his former Manchester United teammates Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt, bought Salford City. Their goal was to help the club reach the Football League.
Neville later joined La Liga team Valencia as a coach in July 2015. His brother Gary then became the manager there, and Phil worked as his assistant.
Leading England Women's Team
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On January 23, 2018, Phil Neville was named head coach of the England women's national team. He signed a contract until the end of UEFA Women's Euro 2021.
He made his debut as England manager at the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. England finished second in that tournament. In 2019, England won the SheBelieves Cup for the first time.
England qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France in August 2018. Neville's team finished first in their group. They won against Scotland, Argentina, and Japan. After two more wins, England reached their second straight Women's World Cup semi-final. This also helped Team GB qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics. On July 2, 2019, England lost 2–1 to the United States in the semi-finals. They finished the World Cup in fourth place after losing the third-place play-off.
In April 2020, Neville announced he would leave his role as manager in July 2021. He stepped down earlier, on January 18, 2021.
Coaching Inter Miami
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On January 18, 2021, Neville became the head coach of Inter Miami CF. This club is owned by his former Manchester United teammate, David Beckham. His first game was on April 18, which his team lost.
In his second season as head coach, Inter Miami reached the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time. They finished sixth in their conference. On June 1, 2023, Inter Miami announced that Neville had left the club. At that time, the team was in last place in their conference.
Current Role at Portland Timbers
On November 6, 2023, Neville was named the head coach of the Portland Timbers. His contract runs until the 2026 MLS season.
Life Outside Football
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Phil Neville was a very good cricketer when he was young. He played for Lancashire's Under-19 team and captained England Under-15s. Some people thought he could have been a professional cricketer.
Phil is the younger brother of Gary Neville, who also played for Manchester United. He also has a twin sister, Tracey Neville, who was a head coach for the England netball team. His father, Neville Neville, was a director at Bury. His mother, Jill, played netball and worked for Bury football club.
Phil is married to Julie. They have a son, Harvey, and a daughter, Isabella. Harvey also plays football for Inter Miami.
In 2014, Phil became vegetarian. He said he felt "healthier, leaner" after changing his diet.
Helping Others
Phil's daughter, Isabella, has cerebral palsy. Because of this, Phil has become an ambassador for Bliss, a charity for babies needing special care. He also supports the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. Neville has also raised money for an orphanage in Kenya and the Warrington Youth Club. He co-founded Foundation 92 with his former teammates. This organization helps with wellbeing and outreach programs in Salford and Greater Manchester.
Honours and Awards
As a Player
Manchester United
- Premier League: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03
- FA Cup: 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
- FA Community Shield: 1996, 1997, 2003
- UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
- Intercontinental Cup: 1999
England
- Tournoi de France: 1997
Individual Awards
- Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year: 1993–94
As a Manager
England Women
- SheBelieves Cup: 2019
Images for kids
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Neville as manager of the England women's team in 2019
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Neville playing at Old Trafford in March 2004
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Neville warming up for Everton
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Neville playing for Everton against Fiorentina in the UEFA Cup in 2008
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Neville serving as assistant coach of Valencia CF in 2015
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Phil Neville as England manager in a post match interview following a friendly against New Zealand in 2019.
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Neville coaching for Inter Miami in 2023
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Neville and pop singer Olly Murs in a 2014 charity football match
See also
In Spanish: Phil Neville para niños
- List of footballers in England by number of league appearances (500+)
