Manchester United’s band of merry men from 1998-99 are definitely one of the best sides to ever grace a football pitch. Victors of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, they were the first English side to win the treble entering a hallowed group of some of the best teams in Europe. Sir Alex Ferguson’s ragtag group of veterans such as Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane and academy graduates like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes took Europe by storm with their exciting football on their way to glory.
But it’s been over 16 years since then, and you’ve got to wonder what they’re up to now. While it’s not hard to keep track of David Beckham, Wes Brown has faded from the limelight. As Sir Alex Ferguson keeps himself busy as a Director at the club and his various roles with UNICEF and UEFA, here’s a look at where the members of that illustrious squad are now:
#1 Peter Schmeichel
Famed for his unconventional style, the former Danish footballer retired at Manchester City in 2003 before he moved on to a host of roles on television. From a pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day to reality shows like Strictly Come Dancing and The Weakest Link, Schmeichel has remained on the fringes of the football world. He even tried his hand at club ownership when he purchased his childhood club Hvidovre IF. The 53-year-old also attempted to invest in former club Brøndby IF but the deal fell through.
At present, the former Aston Villa keeper is associated with the fitness portal Nabufit which provides advice and insight from professional trainers and international athletes. Schmeichel is a brand ambassador for the community along with Neymar and former table tennis player Michael Maze.
#2 Gary Neville
Immediately after his retirement at United in 2011, the defender joined Sky Sports as a pundit on various shows. He was hired as part of the coaching staff by England manager Roy Hodgson in 2012 before he landed his second, rather surprising coaching stint with Valencia in 2015.
The shock of his appointment proved to be valid when he was fired the following year after an initial run of nine winless games in the league. The former England international was relieved of his duties when the La Liga side were six points above the drop zone.
Shuttling between his two managerial positions, Neville has also invested in non-league club Salford City and a chain of football-themed hotels and cafes with Ryan Giggs. Most recently, the former United player was both criticising and defending referee Mike Dean for sending off West Ham United’s Sofiane Feghouli on television and Twitter.
#3 Jaap Stam
After Jaap Stam’s short yet successful stint at Old Trafford, he played for Lazio, Inter Milan and Ajax before retiring in 2007. He returned to United as a scout the very next year but left to pursue his managerial ambitions. The former Dutch international was assistant manager for FC Zwolle for two years before he became a defensive coach at Ajax. However, the 44-year-old is currently boss of Championship side Reading FC.
The former United player signed a two-year contract in 2016 and visited Old Trafford as recently as January for a third-round FA Cup draw. Stam was given a hero’s welcome by the fans but Mourinho’s men weren’t as kind as they downed the visitors 4-0.
#4 Ronny Johnsen
Ronny Johnsen is perhaps the least remembered from the 1999 squad. Acquired from Norway, the centre-back was as dependable as they come who did his job without any fuss or fanfare. Staying at Old Trafford for six years, the Norwegian also played for Aston Villa and Newcastle before retiring at Vålerenga in 2008. Earning his UEFA coaching licences, Johnsen works as the in-house Manchester United expert on TV2, a Norwegian broadcasting channel.
The former United player continues to be attached to United as an ambassador frequently travelling to Southeast Asia with their fuel partner Gulf Oil. He is also associated in a similar capacity with Unibet, an online betting company. While speaking at an event organised by Gulf in October 2016 Johnsen said he was even open to a managerial position and was waiting for the right opportunity.
#5 Denis Irwin
Ferguson’s “little diamond” Denis Irwin served Manchester United for 12 long years and he served them well. A constant fixture in the starting XI, the Irish international was an invaluable member of the treble-winning squad until he left the side in 2002. Irwin played for just one other club, Wolverhampton Wanderers until his retirement in 2004 after which the former Ireland international did not waste any time in re-connecting with his old club.
Irwin signed up to be a presenter on MUTV that very same year and continues in that capacity till date. He is also a pundit on RTE Sports, an Irish broadcasting network and writes for the Irish paper ‘Sunday World’.
#6 Roy Keane
Controversy’s favourite child Roy Keane was captain of Manchester United for eight of his 12 years at the club as he made a career out of ploughing through the opposition. Winning the treble as skipper, Keane left the side in 2005 before retiring at Celtic just six months later. The Irish international has never strayed far from the football pitch since taking on a number of managerial roles across the United Kingdom.
Starting in 2006, Keane has worked as the manager at Sunderland and Ipswich Town. He was also appointed as assistant manager for Aston Villa and continues to hold that role with the Republic of Ireland since 2013. The Irishman has worked as a television pundit for ITV even though he once said he couldn't tolerate the profession. Keane is actively involved with his boyhood club Cobh Ramblers and is scheduled to appear at a charity event for the side in March.
#7 Paul Scholes
Upstanding professional that he was, Paul Scholes shunned the spotlight that came with being part of Manchester United’s historic squad and concentrated solely on his game. The most decorated English player of all time, the midfielder spent his entire career at Old Trafford till he called it quits in 2011 and then again in 2013. However, Scholes has remained on the sidelines of the game becoming a part of the United backroom staff with the U-19 and senior teams.
He purchased Salford City, his hometown club with his buddies from the Class of ‘92 in 2014 and also signed with BT Sport as a pundit the same year. Residing in Oldham, the former midfielder is a supporter of the local side, Oldham Atheltic and has started coaching sessions with the youth team in the past few weeks. He is also using his celebrity status to help the club attract Chinese investors to boost their finances. Scholes is also in the process of qualifying for his UEFA coaching licence.
#8 David Beckham
David Beckham became quite the journeyman after his departure from Manchester United playing for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. Retiring in 2013, the legendary midfielder has had no shortage of commitments. A global fashion icon, Beckham has endorsed some of the largest names in fashion and consumer goods. Leading the quintessential celebrity life, the Galactico has even appeared in films such as Goal!: The Dream Begins and Goal! 2: Living the Dream.
Beckham is heavily involved with international charity organisations, working with the likes of UNICEF. He has publicly endorsed organisations that work to eradicate AIDS and malaria. The superstar was recently present at the London Men’s Fashion week promoting a clothing line and visited his former club Paris Saint-Germain since his retirement. In the middle of his travels, Beckham finds the time to publicly admonish his 17-year-old son, Brooklyn for not being in school on social media as well.
#9 Ryan Giggs
After a 14-year stint at Manchester United Ryan Giggs finally hung his boots up in 2014 after one of the most illustrious careers in football history. However, the Welsh international didn’t even have to wait till retirement to land a managerial job. He was appointed as a player-coach in 2013 under David Moyes and actually took over as interim manager after the former Everton boss had been fired.
Giggs continued as assistant manager under Louis van Gaal but felt he had no place under new manager Jose Mourinho and parted ways with the club ahead of the 2016 campaign. Co-owner of Salford City, the prolific midfielder hasn’t landed a second managerial position yet. He was in line for the Swansea job before the appointment of Bob Bradley but lost out for undisclosed reasons.
Giggs is also the owner of GG Hospitality with the Neville brothers and recently celebrated the three-year anniversary of his restaurant George in Worsley. He is also currently embroiled in a court battle with his estranged wife Stacey.
#10 Dwight Yorke
Winning the treble in his very first season at Old Trafford, Dwight Yorke called it quits after playing for four more clubs – Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland. After retiring in 2009, the former forward went about getting his Level B coaching qualification and toyed with the idea of getting into management. However, when that didn’t work out, he settled for the post as ambassador for Manchester United.
Yorke spends most of his time travelling in Asia with Gulf and was in Kolkata in June 2016. He is scheduled to make appearances in Dubai on February 2 with former teammate Peter Schmeichel as part of a promotional team for the club. He has also made the news recently for saying his inexperience and race was getting in the way of getting a manager's job. The former Aston Villa player is also a member of the FIFA Development Committee as of January this year.
#11 Andy Cole
19 years and many trophies later, most of them with United, Cole retired in 2008. Coaching young forwards in Manchester United and Huddersfield Town, he procured his coaching badge as he featured as a guest columnist for The Independent in 2010. In February 2016, Cole revealed his battle with kidney failure and steroid treatments after contracting a virus on his travels as an ambassador for the Red Devils.
The treble-winner was recently present at the Football Writers’ Association tribute to Wayne Rooney after his record-breaking 250th goal. Cole has also come forward in support of The Offside Trust, an organisation that provides support to players and families who are victims of abuse. The former striker continues to work as a pundit and can be frequently seen on Premier League TV.
#12 Nicky Butt
After playing for Manchester United, Newcastle United and Hongkong club South China, Nicky Butt returned to England in 2011 after retiring from professional football. Born in Manchester, the former English midfielder returned to Old Trafford as head of the academy, a place where he himself had learnt so much. Butt has spearheaded far-reaching changes at the academy with efforts at modernisation since Brian McClair’s departure. Updating facilities and hiring new coaching staff, the 41-year-old has a large burden on his shoulders.
Butt was also appointed as interim coach for the U23s after Warren Joyce left in November 2016 while they searched for a permanent replacement. Many believed Butt himself would take over the responsibility for good but announced in January he had no intention to do so. While the management at Old Trafford are wary of rushing an appointment, the coach enjoys heading the academy far too much to change jobs.
#13 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retired at Manchester United after 11 years in 2006 immediately re-joining the club as a coach to earn his licence. An ambassador to United as well, the former Norwegian international was appointed as full-time manager for the reserve team winning two trophies with the side. The former striker was approached for the Norwegian national job in 2010 but chose to go back to his old club Molde in Norway instead.
Solskjaer earned considerable success in his native country leading the club to their first league title. In 2014, he was announced as the new manager for Cardiff City but left after they failed to remain in the Premier League at the end of the season. He returned to Molde in 2015 and is still manager there. The 43-year-old was approached for the Norway job this January again only to be refused a second time.
#14 Jesper Blomqvist
Winger Jesper Blomqvist was in Manchester United for just three years but earned the all-important treble during his time there. The Swede retired at Djurgården in 2005 but made a number of returns as a player since then. While managing Enköping and Hammarby IF, the former Everton player played in 2008 and 2010 respectively. Blomqvist was also a sports pundit for Swedish broadcasting network, TV4.
#15 Wes Brown
A most unlikely treble winner, Wes Brown began his youth career at Manchester United before breaking into the senior side in 1996. After 11 years at the club, the centre-back moved to Sunderland in 2011. Beset by injuries in the recent past, Brown signed up with Blackburn Rovers in 2016 under the agreement he would carry on as a coach with the club.
The English international is in the process of acquiring his UEFA A licence in Northern Ireland and is scheduled to complete it sometime this year. Meanwhile, the former Sunderland player has been working with the reserves and the youth academy.
#16 Henning Berg
An overlooked member of the treble-winning squad, Henning Berg played for Manchester United between 1997 and 2000. Spending the rest of his career in Blackburn Rovers and Rangers, the defender played his final game in 2004. Immediately after his retirement, Berg jumped into the world of football management taking up his first job with Lyn, a Norwegian club.
Thereafter, the former United player has held managerial posts in Blackburn, Lilletsrøm and Legia Warsaw. At present, he is in charge of current league leaders in the first division of Hungarian football, Videoton FC.
