Which United players have won the World Cup or Euros?
In making their selections for their Dream United Team, our writers could take their pick from 11 Manchester United players who have lifted the World Cup and 10 Reds who have won the European Championships.
There was an element of selection debate, however, as there are five players on the list who could have made it into either team.
France and Spain have enjoyed periods of international dominance in recent decades, with Fabien Barthez and Laurent Blanc mainstays of the France team that lifted the World Cup for the first time on home turf in 1998, going on to win Euro 2000 in Holland two summers later.
A decade later and it was Spain’s time to shine, with Juan Mata, Gerard Pique and Victor Valdes part of Vicente del Bosque’s squad who won the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and then Euro 2012 in Ukraine.
The majority of these Reds completed their international achievements either before or after their United adventures began. Four players have won the World Cup while playing for United, with Bobby Charlton, Nobby Stiles and John Connelly leading the way with England in 1966.
Charlton and Stiles were central to the Three Lions success, while winger Connelly played in the first group stage game against Uruguay before a tactical switch from Alf Ramsey saw him sidelined for the rest of the tournament. And of course, Paul Pogba was one of France’s stars in the 2018 triumph, scoring in the final against Croatia.
Two players became a European champion with their national side while a United player, both goalkeepers. Peter Schmeichel was a key part of Denmark’s incredible triumph in 1992, and Fabien Barthez was in nets for France in Euro 2000 – although Barthez had just sealed his move from Monaco before the tournament had begun and had yet to make his United debut.
And of course, two former United heroes were part of the team to win the last tournament – Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani of Portugal. We will have to wait a while longer to see if any United players past or present can add their names to the list of Euros winners when the next tournament is belatedly held!
WORLD CUP WINNERS
Bobby Charlton (England, 1966)
Nobby Stiles (England, 1966)
John Connelly (England, 1966)
Fabien Barthez (France, 1998)
Laurent Blanc (France, 1998)
Kleberson (Brazil, 2002)
Gerard Pique (Spain, 2010)
Juan Mata (Spain, 2010)
Victor Valdes (Spain, 2010)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, 2014)
Paul Pogba (France, 2018)
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
Arnold Muhren (Netherlands, 1988)
Peter Schmeichel (Denmark, 1992)
John Sivebaek (Denmark, 1992)
Laurent Blanc (France, 2000)
Fabien Barthez (France, 2000)
Gerard Pique (Spain, 2012)
Juan Mata (Spain, 2012)
Victor Valdes (Spain, 2012)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, 2016)
Nani (Portugal, 2016)