Mason Greenwood was handed his maiden England senior call-up yesterday.
It was a deserved reward for a red-hot spell of form towards the end of the season which helped fire Manchester United into next season’s Champions League.
If he makes his Three Lions debut in the forthcoming round of fixtures, he will be in very fine company in United terms.
United’s teenage debutants
Greenwood would be the third-youngest player to make his England bow while playing for United in history.
Busby Babe Duncan Edwards – who Bobby Charlton called ‘the only player who made you feel inferior’ – sits atop that list, making his first England appearance at 18 yrs 183 days old.
Marcus Rashford is second on the list, having scored in his first match against Australia in 2016 aged 18 yrs 209 days.
Greenwood would slot into third on that list, yet another sign of his precocious talent.
Greenwood will handle the pressure
Going from young prodigy to senior United and England player creates an explosion in terms of expectation and pressure.
Greenwood looks to have a mature head on his shoulders and should be able to handle it.
He will have to get used to being a household name and more attention from rival fans.
But if he keeps scoring – and all the signs are that he will – Greenwood’s career is only going to go from strength to strength.
Mason Greenwood’s career so far
- 17 first team goals in his debut season
Greenwood tied a record set by George Best and Wayne Rooney on their first campaigns for the club.
- Five Europa League goals in his first season
Greenwood’s goals in the Europa League saw him become the club’s youngest ever scorer in European competition.
- 10 Premier League goals
Greenwood became the first teenager since 1997/98 to score 10 Premier League goals or more in a season.
- Absolutely prolific at youth level
Greenwood scored 31 goals in 30 under-18 games, plus five in five UEFA Youth League matches. He scored three in three FA Youth Cup games, and four in seven under-23 matches, before being fast-tracked to the first team.
- Already a Champions League scorer
Greenwood scored his first Champions League goal for Manchester United against RB Leipzig. It came with his first ever shot in the competition.
- The 20 goal mark
Greenwood scored his 20th United goal in December 2020. He became the youngest United player to do so since Norman Whiteside in 1987.
- Double figures again
Greenwood reached double figures for the second successive season in the win over Roma. He became the second United player to score in five separate competitions in the 2020/21 season, and has now netted in a European semi-final.
- The 30 goal barrier
Greenwood scored his 30th Manchester United goal in August 2021. At just 19, he became one of just three teenagers to do so for the club, along with Whiteside and George Best.
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