How Man Utd striker Mason Greenwood made the Kopa Trophy shortlist

The Academy is a conveyor belt of talent and there are always young players who are knocking on the door of the senior squad, hoping to join those who have graduated before them. Famously, a homegrown player has featured in every matchday squad for 4,107 matches in a record that dates all the way back to October 1937, proudly highlighting our commitment to homegrown talent.

Greenwood was making waves in the youth system and had trained with the first team when Solskjaer returned to United as caretaker manager in December 2018. With a natural eye for goalscorers, the Norwegian was immediately impressed by Mason’s talent and that led to his first-team debut: as a substitute in the dramatic win over Paris Saint-Germain that March. 

With Ole as a mentor and supportive coaches in Mike Phelan, Michael Carrick and former youth-team boss Kieran McKenna, Greenwood flourished and scored 17 goals in his first full season. His success brought added expectation and pressure, yet Mason’s emergence was handled meticulously and player care has always been at the centre of his ascent. This is the United way.