It doesn't matter whether you’re a football fan or don’t know the first thing about it, Manchester United is one club you surely must have heard of. So is the degree of dominance manifested by the “Most Celebrated Football Club” in the game’s history. Put down as the most successful club in the Premier League history, Manchester United’s supremacy over its rivals and the ever growing fanbase makes it one of the most followed clubs in the world.
A club valued at $3.31 billion (£2.23 billion) in 2016 according to Forbes, United are the richest English club. But what makes Manchester United’s 135-year-old legacy unparalleled to any amount of wealth is the love that the fans have for the Red Devils. Throughout the club’s history of drama, emotions, glories, sorrows, ups and downs the fans have stood together supporting the club making them one of the most special groups of supporters in the game's history.
Here are 5 reasons why Manchester United is one of the most famous clubs in football.
#1 Fairytale History
Founded in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club, the club’s name was later changed to what today is known as Manchester United. On 24 April 1902, Manchester United entered the footballing world and won their first league title in 1908. Nicknamed "the Red Devils", United are a club that is over 100 years old with Old Trafford as its home.
Having suffered one of the most horrendous tragedies ever witnessed by the game and its fans, the Red Devils endured a horrifying incident in 1958 known as “The Munich Air Disaster”. The crash destroyed the nucleus of what promised to be one of the greatest generation of players in English football history. Despite the tragedy, under Matt Busby, United came back even stronger to become the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968.
In the 90s and 00s, under Sir Alex Ferguson, United achieved the glory that transformed the club into the biggest name in world football. In the 1998–99 season, Manchester United entered the history books by becoming the first ever English team to win the Treble.
#2 Benchmark of Consistency
A team does not become consistent in one week, a month or even a season. Achieving stability, especially in the top tier, demands the utmost level of endurance.
The actual character of a team is portrayed under the strenuous challenges that it faces; be it the jeers of the away fans or the cheers from the home ones, be it ending up on the losing side or coming out as winners and be it conceding in the opening minutes of the game or scoring in the dying moments. Over the years one club that has made winning and being resolute a run-of-the-mill job is Manchester United.
In 1986, a gentleman from Scotland arrived at Old Trafford to change the face of World Football. Regarded by many as the Best Manager of all time, it was none other than Sir Alex Ferguson. A paramount figure in United’s dominance and success over the years, Ferguson won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two UEFA Champions League titles and the famous treble in 1998–99 making him the most celebrated manager of all time.
The 26 years of Sir Alex with Manchester United were the clubs redefining era making them one of the top dogs on the European stage.
The club is the home to 65 titles, most in England, and 4th in Europe after Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The benchmark of consistency set by United in their 138 years of illustrious history is second to none.
#3 Modern Day Corporate Empire
Manchester United have become a modern day corporate monster. The club have carefully put in strategies, marketing the club brand and players to people especially focusing on youngsters across the globe. With well-catalogued fan clubs in major cities around the world, United have established itself as a major brand in football. Strong merchandising ties with Adidas and other retail stores worldwide have led the Red Devils to become a global name.
Inculcating a dream in the young minds to play for the club by setting up MU soccer schools and tournaments around the globe has helped the club reach an astounding young fan base. Sponsorship from global brands like Adidas, AON, Chevrolet, DHL, HCL have helped United in the marketing and growing on an even bigger scale. Also, being part of the most broadcasted league in the world - the English Premier League - has helped the club’s cause of becoming one of the most famous football institutions in the world.
According to the Deloitte Football Money League, Manchester United have been named the world’s richest club ending Real Madrid’s 11-year grasp at the top. United, who flexed their financial muscle by signing Paul Pogba for a world record fee of £89m in the summer, overtook Real Madrid and Barcelona despite the Spanish giants also enjoying growth.
Revenues generated by United in 2015-16 were a staggering €689.0m (£515.3), which was an all-time record for a football team. The stunning numbers lifted the Red Devils above both Real and Barcelona for the first time in over a decade.
#4 Home to Football’s Finest
"Youth, Courage, Greatness" is the motto the club have stood by for over a century now. The top class players produced by Red Devils have helped them achieve the pinnacle of greatness. The aura of the club is such that any player who wears the Devils’ crest strives to be the best and one of the best examples to this is United’s Class of 92 that produced legends who inspired a generation.
A club renowned for its clinical style and entertaining ethos, United have been traditionally associated with one of the most attacking teams in world football. Manchester United’s flamboyant and exuberant style of play has made them one of the most watched clubs around the world. With star-studded line-ups and some of the most breathtaking moments ever produced in the sports’ history, the Red Devils have attracted attention from across the globe.
The list of prominent names that the club has produced is unparalleled with the likes of Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, George Best, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and much more. Manchester United is home to some of the elite players the game has ever seen and the club's saga of producing top players is one of the major reasons for its popularity and makes it one of the most iconic clubs in the world.
#5 “A Home-Grown Club”
History, stadium, trophies, sponsors, global recognition United’s got it all. And they have a group of fans to complement the aforementioned.
The propensity developed by the club and its supporters to make every single player who wears the United shirt “one of their own” is phenomenal. The chanting fans, the aura of Old Trafford, waving red flags, every single thing drives the players to achieve greatness and star for the Red Devils.
Manchester United’s heritage holds a much higher ground than all other European Heavyweights because of their proud tradition of bringing through home-grown players. A record that pays testament to a club that has never been afraid of placing its faith in youth, United have had a graduate from their youth academy in every single match day squad since October 30, 1937.
A fairytale football club with both riches and fans, Manchester United has become a household name in so many countries making it not “One of The” but “The Most Famous Club in the World.”
