A former Manchester United player under Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that one World Cup-winning team attempted to make him switch his national allegiance.
Sir Alex Ferguson bowed out of football management in 2013 after Manchester United captured their last Premier League title in the 2012-13 campaign.
The 83-year-old Scotsman is one of the best managers of all time and United legend Ferguson enjoyed incredible success during his 26-year reign at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils lifted all 13 of their Premier League titles under former manager Ferguson and the iconic Scot led United to two Champions League trophies as well.
Ferguson’s crowning achievement came with United’s treble-winning season in the 1998-99 campaign, with the club being the first English team to pull off the feat.
The Aberdeen and United legend’s incredible silverware haul at Old Trafford also included five FA Cups and four League Cups before Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Former Man Utd star Owen Hargreaves speaks out about his background after he chose England as his national team
Sir Alex Ferguson brought Owen Hargreaves to Old Trafford after Manchester United signed the former England international for a fee believed to be £17m in 2007.
Owen Hargreaves, who arrived at the Premier League club from Bayern Munich, was born in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada and represented Wales at youth level.
The ex-Bayern Munich star played for Wales Under-19 before he made the switch to represent England Under-21s ahead of making his senior Three Lions debut.
Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine, Hargreaves opened up about his English experience in Calgary after his parents moved to Canada before he was born.
“My family moved to Canada for my dad’s work just before I was born,” he said.
“I actually became the only person in the history of my family, including my older brothers, not to be born in England or Wales – so I was even an outcast in my own family! [*Laughs*]
“In Canada, we were a traditional British home: Sunday roasts, shepherd’s pie, cups of tea.
“My dad is a massive football supporter and taught us all to play, so when it came to choosing which nation to represent, it was always going to be England, as I wanted to make my dad proud of me.”
Ex-Man Utd and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves admits former World Cup champions Germany were interested in him
Owen Hargreaves enjoyed a successful trophy-laden spell at Bayern Munich, including lifting four Bundesliga titles, a Champions League and three German Cups.
The 44-year-old TNT Sports pundit was capped 42 times for England and he made his senior debut in 2001 under former Three Lions boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Hargreaves revealed that the German national team were keen to land him during his time at Bayern, but he instead chose to represent England at senior level.
“I did play youth football for Wales as I was very honoured to be asked,” he continued.
“Germany also tried to get me to switch after I moved to Bayern. I told them I was flattered but not interested. It was always England for me.”
Hargreaves lifted both the Premier League title and the Champions League trophy under former United manager Ferguson before his Old Trafford exit in 2011.
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