Manchester United Football Club, often known as Man United or simply United, is a professional football club based in England. It is one of the most famous and successful clubs in English football history.
The club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878 by employees of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath. They initially played games against other departments and rail companies but on 24 April 1902, the club was officially renamed Manchester United, following a financial crisis.
Under the management of Sir Matt Busby, United became the first English football club to win the European Cup in 1968, ten years after the Munich air disaster that tragically killed eight players. The 1960s saw a successful rebuilding of the team by Busby, with 1968 marking a triumphant year for the "Red Devils".
The most successful period in Manchester United's history came in the late 1980s and 1990s, under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson. The 'Fergie' era saw significant success for the club both domestically and internationally. In 1998–99, the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the treble of the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.
Its annual revenue is one of the highest of any football club, which allows it to spend heavily on superstar players. Some of their most famous players over the years have included George Best, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
After Ferguson's retirement in 2013, the club went through a period of struggle, undergoing several managerial changes. Despite this, United has remained a dominant force in English football and continues to attract top players from around the world.
In addition to their success on the pitch, Manchester United is also known for its strong fan base and its prominence in popular culture, being the subject of several documentaries and films. The iconic red and white team colors, the crest featuring a ship in full sail and a devil, and the team's home ground, Old Trafford, known as the "Theatre of Dreams", have all come to symbolize Manchester United's rich history and tradition.