Mason Will John Greenwood (born 1 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Manchester United.
![]() Greenwood with Manchester United in 2017 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Mason Will John Greenwood[1] | ||
Date of birth | (2001-10-01) 1 October 2001 (age 21)[2] | ||
Place of birth | Bradford, West Yorkshire, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Forward[4] | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Manchester United | ||
Number | 11 | ||
Youth career | |||
2007–2018 | Manchester United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018– | Manchester United | 83 | (22) |
National team | |||
2015 | England U15 | 1 | (0) |
2017–2018 | England U17 | 6 | (1) |
2018 | England U18 | 5 | (1) |
2019– | England U21 | 4 | (1) |
2020 | England | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:02, 22 January 2022 (UTC) |
Coming through the youth system, Greenwood scored in a UEFA Europa League match against Astana in September 2019, to become the club's youngest ever goalscorer in European competition at the age of 17 years, 353 days. His senior international debut for England came in September 2020, in a UEFA Nations League game against Iceland.
In January 2022, Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of raping and assaulting a woman, and a few days later on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill. Since then, Greenwood has not trained with, or appeared for, either his club or his national team. He was charged in October 2022 for attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour.
Greenwood joined Manchester United at the age of six, playing at the club's development school in Halifax.[5] After progressing through the academy ranks, he joined up with the Under-18 squad for the 2017–18 season, despite being eligible for the Under-16s, and finished as top scorer of the U18 Premier League North with 17 goals in 21 games.[6] In May 2018, Greenwood was named Player of the Tournament as the youth side won the ICGT Trophy in the Netherlands.[7]
In July 2018, Greenwood travelled with the first team on their pre-season tour of the United States.[8] On 20 July, he made his non-competitive debut as a 76th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw against Club America.[9] On 2 October, Greenwood signed his first professional contract with the club.[10] In December, he was selected by José Mourinho to train with the first team ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Valencia.[11]
On 6 March 2019, under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Greenwood made his competitive debut as an 87th-minute substitute in a 3–1 win against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League.[12] At the age of 17 years and 156 days, he became the second-youngest player to represent the club in a European competition (behind only Norman Whiteside) and the youngest ever in the Champions League era.[13] Four days later, he made his Premier League debut from the bench in a 2–0 defeat to Arsenal to become one of the club's youngest league debutants.[14][15]
On 7 May, Greenwood was named Premier League 2 Player of the Month for April.[16] At the end of the season, he received the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award, given each year to the best player in the club's youth teams.[17] On 12 May, the final day of the season, Greenwood made his first senior start for the club in a 2–0 defeat to Cardiff City.[18]
Greenwood's first United goal came in their Europa League opener against Kazakh side Astana on 19 September; scoring the only goal of the game to become the club's youngest ever goalscorer in European competition at the age of 17 years, 353 days.[19] On 7 November, he scored in United's 3–0 win over Partizan Belgrade, qualifying them for the knockout stages of the competition.[20] On 24 November, Greenwood scored his first league goal in a 3–3 draw with Sheffield United.[21] On 12 December, he scored twice and won a penalty in the final game of the Europa League group stage against AZ Alkmaar. Manchester United won the game 4–0 and finished top of their group.[22]
On 11 January 2020, after failing to score in three consecutive matches, Greenwood scored once in a 4–0 win over Norwich City.[23] Fifteen days later, he scored his first FA Cup goal as United defeated Tranmere Rovers 6–0.[24] Greenwood scored again four weeks later, in a 3–0 league win against Watford.[25] On 12 March, he scored his fifth European goal during a 5–0 win over LASK of Austria; becoming the first teenager to score at least five goals in a single European season for United.[26]
After a three-month suspension of football caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Greenwood played in all six of United's matches as of 9 July 2020. He failed to score in the first three, but delivered a total of four goals in the next three, including a brace in a 5–2 win against Bournemouth on 4 July.[27] After that, he scored against Aston Villa; making him only the fourth player aged below 19 to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances and the first since Francis Jeffers did so for Everton in 1999.[28]
After wearing the number 26 for his breakout season in 2019, Greenwood was given the number 11 shirt by Manchester United on 4 September 2020.[29] He joined a famous list of players to wear the number 11, most notably Ryan Giggs, a fellow academy product who retired in 2014 as the leading appearance maker for United with 963. On 22 September, Greenwood scored his first goal of the season in a 3–1 away victory over Luton Town in the third round of the EFL Cup.[30] On 28 October, Greenwood scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League in a 5–0 win over RB Leipzig; the goal came from his first ever shot in the competition.[31] On 5 December, he scored his first league goal of the season in a 3–1 away win against West Ham United.[32]
On 24 January 2021, Greenwood scored his first FA Cup goal of the season in a 3–2 home win against arch rivals Liverpool in the fourth round.[33] On 2 February, Greenwood played a full 90 minutes in Manchester United's Premier League record-equalling 9–0 home win against Southampton.[34] On 4 April, he broke a four-month goal drought in the league, scoring the winner against Brighton & Hove Albion which ended 2–1 at home.[35] Greenwood excelled in April with four league goals in four matches, including a brace against Burnley.[36] This earnt him his first nomination for Premier League Player of the Month which was won by teammate Jesse Lingard who was on loan at West Ham.[37] On 29 April, Greenwood scored his first goal in the UEFA Europa League for the season against Roma during the first leg of the semi-finals in a 6–2 home victory.[38]
On 9 May, Greenwood scored another goal against Aston Villa in a 3–1 away win.[39] Two days later, Greenwood scored against Leicester City, assisted by Amad Diallo, in a 2–1 defeat; the goal was the first time in 15 years a teenager assisted another for a Premier League goal.[40] On 26 May, Greenwood played in his first cup final in the 2021 Europa League against Villarreal at the Stadion Gdańsk. Greenwood played 100 minutes before being substituted in the first period of extra time for Fred, the match was even at 1–1 before it went to penalties which ended 12–11 to Villareal.[41]
On 14 August 2021, Greenwood scored his first goal of the season in a 5–1 win over Leeds in Manchester United's opening match of the 2021–22 Premier League season.[42] On 29 August, Greenwood scored the goal that secured a 1–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, becoming the second teenager in Premier League history after Robbie Fowler to score in each of his team's first three games of a season,[43] and helped United breaking the record of most consecutive away matches undefeated in English football history with 28.[44][45] On 8 December, Greenwood scored his first goal in the 2021–22 Champions League against BSC Young Boys in a 1–1 draw for interim manager Ralf Rangnick's first Champions League game with the club.[46]
Greenwood has represented the England under-17 team making six appearances in 2017–18 and was part of the squad in the Algarve Tournament in Portugal.[47]
On 30 August 2019, Greenwood was included in the England under-21 squad for the first time[48] and made his debut as a 59th-minute substitute during the 3–2 win against Turkey on 6 September in qualifying for the 2021 European Under-21 Championship.[49] On 19 November, Greenwood scored his first goal for the U21s; equalising against the Netherlands in a match which England ultimately lost 2–1.[50]
On 25 August 2020, Greenwood was named in the England senior squad for the first time.[51] He made his debut on 5 September in a 1–0 away win over Iceland in a 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A match, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute.[52] On 7 September, Greenwood, along with England teammate Phil Foden, was withdrawn from the England squad after breaking COVID-19 quarantine guidelines in Iceland by leaving the part of the hotel that the England squad was occupying; media reports alleged that Greenwood and Foden had met two women in another part of the hotel.[53]
Despite his strong start to the 2020–21 season where he had scored three goals in three games, Greenwood was not selected for the September 2021 World Cup Qualifiers for England by manager Gareth Southgate who stated, "He is in our thoughts, I've spoken with him and his club, he is a player we really like. We are all very conscious that he makes the progression at the right time."[54]
Greenwood began his career as a midfielder but gradually evolved into a centre forward.[6] He often plays on the right flank for Manchester United, as well as moving more centrally to occupy as a second striker when the ball is fed into the penalty area. During his early career, several of his goals have seen him dropping a shoulder or chopping the ball to get it on to his left foot before scoring. He also often reverses his shot by aiming low for the near post from the right of the box.[55]
In May 2018, former Manchester United player Clayton Blackmore said: "He's great on the ball and very good with both feet. He's the first person I've seen that takes penalties and free-kicks with his wrong foot. I've never come across anyone like that!"[56] In March 2019, former academy coach Mark Senior said: "People says he's like the new Robin van Persie but I don't know. I think he's his own man. I've not seen another player like him. His style means his pace is deceptive because he is absolutely rapid."[5]
In July 2019, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær praised Greenwood during their pre-season tour, saying: "He can play all of the front-three positions, or across the front four, as he can play number 10, number seven, number 11 and number nine. He's a natural footballer with his left foot, coming in, but he's got two feet and can play anywhere along the front. He's just a natural. When he takes a penalty with his right, then takes a penalty with his left, free-kicks with his left, free-kicks with his right. He is almost what you'd call 50:50, maybe 51:49 left-footed."[57]
Greenwood was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire,[58] and raised in the Wibsey area of the city.[59] He is of Jamaican descent.[60] His family has a background in sports; his sister, Ashton, is a track athlete.[59]
On 30 January 2022, Greenwood was accused of assault against a woman, in a series of posts on her social media.[61][62][63] The posts included images and video of apparent injuries, as well as audio where a woman tells a man whom she called Mason: "I don't want to have sex", to which the man replies that he "doesn't care" and, when told to stop again, he replied: "I asked you politely, and you wouldn't do it, so what else do you want me to do?"[64][65] The man later says: "Push me again one more time and watch what happens to you."[64]
Later on 30 January, Greenwood was suspended by United,[66] and arrested by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and assault of a woman.[64][67] On 1 February, Greenwood was further arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill.[68] By then, sports apparel company Nike had said that it suspended its relationship with Greenwood, and video game company EA Sports had said it removed Greenwood from its FIFA games.[68]
On 2 February, Greenwood was released on bail pending further investigation.[69] Within a week, Nike stopped sponsoring Greenwood.[70] In April 2022, his bail was extended to mid-June.[71]
On 15 October 2022, Greenwood was arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions by contacting his accuser.[72][73] The same day, he was charged with attempted rape for an alleged incident on 22 October 2021, assault occasioning actual bodily harm for an alleged incident in December 2021, and engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour from November 2018.[74][75] On 17 October 2022, he was initially remanded into custody until 21 November 2022,[76][77] but on 19 October 2022, after a private hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court, he was granted bail with conditions not to contact witnesses, including the complainant, and to reside at an address in Bowdon.[78]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Manchester United | 2018–19[79] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
2019–20[80] | Premier League | 31 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9[lower-alpha 2] | 5 | — | 49 | 17 | ||
2020–21[81] | Premier League | 31 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 14[lower-alpha 3] | 2 | — | 52 | 12 | ||
2021–22[82] | Premier League | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | — | 24 | 6 | ||
2022–23[83] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 83 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 28 | 8 | — | 129 | 35 | |||
Manchester United U21 | 2019–20[80] | — | — | — | — | — | 1[lower-alpha 4] | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
Career total | 83 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 28 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 130 | 36 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
England | 2020 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
Manchester United
Individual
Manchester United F.C. – current squad | |
---|---|
|