In brief
Winning the FA Youth Cup doesn’t ensure success for all players, with some struggling to make it professionally.
Notable players like Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have experienced varied levels of success post-FA Youth Cup.
Several substitutes like Logan Pye and Joe Hugill are still striving to establish themselves in senior football following the tournament.
The problem with player potential is that it is impossible to anticipate how good a football player will end up being. Any side that wins the FA Youth Cup, though, ought to be fairly certain of their chances of joining the 1% club, which is made up of players who graduate from youth football and pursue careers in their field.
In fact, after winning the 2022 FA Youth Cup over 610 other teams, it is exactly what Manchester United’s young players would have been thinking. In front of more than 60,000 spectators at Old Trafford, the Red Devils easily defeated Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the final after defeating Leicester City in the quarterfinals and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the last four.
However, what became of the players who helped the team win its eleventh championship? You may find it difficult to even recall their names, but some have gone on to become mainstays under Erik ten Hag and later Ruben Amorim. View the complete highlights of the match below:
Goalkeeper & Defence
Radek Vitek; Marc Jurado, Sam Murray, Louis Jackson, Rhys Bennett
Radek Vitek, the goalie, is still with Manchester United and is awaiting his first professional game at age 21. He has played 15 games this season while on loan at FC Blau-Weiss Linz of the Austrian Bundesliga after spending the second half of the previous campaign with Accrington Stanley. It’s unclear if he will stay at Old Trafford given that Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, and Andre Onana are higher up the hierarchy than him.
Since switching teams in 2023, Marc Jurado, a Spanish under-20 international, has made 59 appearances for Espanyol B. One of the day’s goal scorers, Rhys Bennett, is still with the team and plays on loan at Accrington Stanley.
As the Under-21 team’s primary centre defence in the Premier League 2, Sam Murray has yet to establish himself outside of youth play. Prior to being signed on a short-term loan by Tranmere Rovers in January, Louis Jackson was in a similar situation. However, he has not yet played for the League Two team.
Defence and goalie
Place
The player
Present Club
Goalie
Vitek Radek
On loan from Manchester United, FC Blau-Weiss
The full-back
Jurado Marc
Spanish B
The centre-back
Murray, Sam
United Manchester
The centre-back
Jackson, Louis
Manchester United’s loanee, Tranmere Rovers
The full-back
Bennett, Rhys
Manchester United’s loanee, Accrington Stanley
Dan Gore, Sam Mather, and Kobbie Mainoo in the middle
Kobbie Mainoo’s ascent is the most notable success story following the 2022 FA Youth Cup victory. Last time out, he scored and was named Man of the Match in the FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, capping an incredible breakthrough campaign. After that, he started in the final and established himself as a dependable midfielder in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 lineup.
He hasn’t had much of an impact this season, though, due to injuries, and rumours have it that he may turn down a contract extension in pursuit of a significant transfer abroad. Dan Gore, who is presently on loan at Rotherham United and has only made one appearance for the senior squad, hasn’t had the same luck. Sam Mather, who is on loan at Tranmere Rovers alongside Louis Jackson, and Gore have both played for England’s junior squad at different levels.
The midfield
Place
The player
Present Club
Center-midfield
Mainoo Kobbie
United Manchester
Center-midfield
Gore, Dan
Manchester United loaned to Rotherham United
Center-midfield
Mather, Sam
Manchester United’s loanee, Tranmere Rovers
Attack
Charlie McNeill, Isak Hansen-Aaroen, and Alejandro Garnacho
Another player who has progressed through the ranks to play at Manchester United’s senior level is Alejandro Garnacho. But just like Kobbie Mainoo, his future is still up in the air. Garnacho is one of the most promising young players in international football at his best, but his erratic play and meagre goal and assist totals may make it difficult for him to fully emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s reputation.
Nevertheless, he has already established a solid career with 134 appearances for United, so it is not surprising that he scored twice in the FA Youth Cup final. Isak Hansen-Aaroen can’t claim that much. Without playing a senior game, the Norway Under-21 international left the team in 2024. He is now on loan from his parent club, Werder Bremen, to Aalborg of Denmark.
Charlie McNeill was originally predicted to be a star after making more than 70 appearances for United’s youth squads and representing England at the Under-16 level. However, the 21-year-old never really persuaded the coaching staff that he was prepared for the top level, with the exception of a brief six-minute appearance in the Europa League. In pursuit of consistent playing time, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday last summer, but he has yet to make more than a few outings in the Championship. Below is the complete lineup:
Attack
Place
The player
Present Club
Winger
Garnacho Alejandro
United Manchester
Attacker
McNeill, Charlie
Wednesday in Sheffield
Winger
Hansen-Aaroen, Isak
Aalborg (from Werder Bremen on loan)
Substitutes
Logan Pye, Omari Forson & Ethan Ennis feature
Logan Pye is at the top of the list of substitutes who have yet to establish themselves at the senior level. The defender has only been able to demonstrate his skills with the Under-21 team since moving permanently to Burnley a few years ago. Tom Wooster, who just returned from a loan stint at Farsley Celtic, is still stuck in the middle of Manchester United’s overcrowded goalkeeping department.
Prior to joining AC Monza in 2024, Omari Forson played seven games for United. It’s interesting to note that, in a somewhat shorter amount of time, he has already matched that appearance total for the Italian club. On loan at Accrington Stanley, defender Sonny Aljofree is presently playing frequently and has made a name for himself as a starting centre back. Maxi Oyedele, who was born in Salford, moved to Legia Warsaw last summer after realising he had no chance of making the first team at United.
With loan appearances at Wigan Athletic, Burton Albion, and Altrincham, Joe Hugill is starting to take on the role of a journeyman. He still has a Manchester United contract, however he is currently with Carlisle United. Finally, Doncaster Rovers now has Ethan Ennis on loan. He recently signed his first professional deal with the club, having just turned 20 in December.
Alternatives
Place
The player
Present Club
Goalie
Wooster, Tom
United Manchester
Protector
Pye Logan
Burnley
Protector
Aljofree, Sonny
Manchester United’s loanee, Accrington Stanley
A midfielder
Oyedele Maxi
Legia Warsaw
A midfielder
Ennis Ethan
On loan from Manchester United, Doncaster Rovers
A midfielder
Forson, Omari
Monza AC
Moving forward
Hugill, Joe
Manchester United loaned to Carlisle United
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