Top Facts about Steve McManaman, 'Shaggy'

Steven Theodore McManaman is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was born on February 11, 1972, meaning that

Steve McManaman's age

is 49.

The versatile Englishman played most of his club career in Liverpool and managed to play for England national team from 1994 to 2001.

McManaman was a prominent feature of Liverpool’s attack in the 1990s, but his biggest lasting distinction came after his move to Real Madrid in 1999.

Nicknamed ‘Shaggy’ because of his thin body similar to the character in the cartoon Scooby Doo, the great winger was fond of combing the left and right sides of the field to make assists or break into opponents' goals.

McManaman played for

from 1990 to 1999. He played as a winger, making a total of 364 appearances and scoring 66 goals. His performances soon attracted interest from the likes of Juventus, Barcelona, and Real.

Fearful of losing their star player on a Bosman free transfer, the Reds allowed McManaman to talk to Barcelona, who had bid £12 million for him.

However, the deal collapsed, but in the 1998/99 season, the player announced that he was leaving for the Santiago Bernabeu. He signed a pre-contract agreement with Madrid in 1999 while he still had five months left on his Liverpool deal.

During his time in Madrid, he won two La Liga titles, two Champions League finals, a European Super Cup and a Supercopa de Espana. He retired from his playing career after being released by

in 2005.

The followings are some facts about Steve McManaman:

The highlight of Steve McManaman’s time in Spain was the goal he scored in the 3-0 demolition of Valencia during the 2000 Champions League final. His performance in that game earned him another cup final man-of-the-match award.

Steve McManaman early life

Steve McManaman is an English former professional footballer who played for Liverpool,

, and Manchester City during his club career.

The fact about

Steve McManaman's childhood

is that he was born in Bootle, Merseyside England, where is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton.

About

Steve McManaman's parents

, it should be mentioned that there is no any exact information available.

McManaman grew up as an Everton fan and his boyhood idols were the

players Duncan McKenzie and Bob Latchford. However, his dad turned down a contract from the Blues in favor of a two-year apprenticeship with Liverpool.

Steve made a name for himself at tournaments for school and around Merseyside, he convinced Everton club to offer him a one-year contract but his father declined it in favor of a schoolboy contract and two-year apprenticeship offer from Liverpool.

In 1988, McManaman signed as a 16-year-old apprentice upon leaving school. As an apprentice, he was under the coaching of John Barnes—one of the players McManaman was groomed to potentially replace in the long run.

Steve McManaman personal life

The fact about

Steve McManaman's personal life

is that he married his long time girlfriend, Victoria Edwards, who is a barrister and law lecturer, in Mallorca's Palma Cathedral, on 6 June 2002.

When 18-year-old Victoria Edwards met a tall, slim, tousle-haired young guy at a Liverpool club, she liked him immediately. It was only when she found out that he was one of England’s top young footballers that she had second thoughts.

Eventually, Victoria went on a date to the movies with Steven McManaman. In her own words, she “fell head over heels in love”, and then went on to marry him and become not only his wife, but his partner in life – which is not always the same thing.

Victoria once made a tough decision when she moved to Madrid to support Steven. There she took a job at Madrid University lecturing in English Law, putting her own career as a barrister on hold. When she was asked by students about her husband’s job, Victoria would typically respond, “He’s a plumber.” They did, however, find out eventually, “I suppose it was inevitable.”

About

Steve McManaman's children

it should be mentioned that he has three children, Ella is 15, Lara is 12, and son Lucas James is 9.

Steve McManaman professional career

Although Steve McManaman debuted under

in 1990, Steve’s breakthrough came in the 1991/92 season with Graeme Souness in charge. Seen as an eventual replacement for John Barnes, McManaman featured 51 times and scored 10 goals.

McManaman made history by becoming the first player without first team experience to play for the England Under-21 team.

He signed as a professional with Liverpool FC in 1990 and after making 364 appearances for the club, McMananan was transferred to Real Madrid in July 1999.

He became just the second English player to ever play for the Spanish team. After four years with Real Madrid, he went back to the English Premier League and signed with Manchester City in 2003.

Shaggy retired from playing in 2005. After retirement, he started to work as a football expert for Setanta Sports, ESPN, and BT Sport. He is also a La Liga Ambassador.

Steve McManaman club career

The fact about Steve McManaman's club career is that he began his senior career with Liverpool, the club which he joined to its youth side in 1988.

He signed as a full professional on 19 February 1990 in what was to be Kenny Dalglish's final full season as Liverpool's manager.

Liverpool

McManaman made his debut under Dalglish on 15 December 1990, as a substitute for Peter Beardsley in the Football League First Division  in a 2-0 league win over 

 at Anfield.

Steve McManaman made his full debut on 17 August 1991, in a 2-1 victory over Oldham Athletic; a match in which he assisted his mentor Barnes in scoring the late winner by flicking on Mark Walters' pass.

McManaman's first ever professional goal was scored with a diving header on 21 August 1991 in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at Maine Road.

During the 1991-92 season, the 19-year-old Steve McManaman became a regular first team player, making 51 appearances in total in only his first full season.

Steve McManaman managed to score 11 goals and provided 9 assists in all competitions during that season.

The 1992 FA Cup Final was contested by Liverpool and Sunderland, McManaman and his side won the match 2-0 and he was named the man of the match, having set up the winner for Michael Thomas despite being the youngest player on the pitch.

McManaman's great performances saw him described by Liverpool legend, Ian Rush, as the most promising young player at Liverpool at the time.

Steve McManaman continued to make a reputation as one of English football's two best emerging young wingers alongside 

 of Manchester United.

During the 1993-94 season, McManaman showed pleasant form with two goals against Swindon Town and some assists including an impressive run and assist against 

.

However, this form faltered following a drop in confidence after an incident with Liverpool's goalkeeper, Bruce Grobbelaar, towards the end of a Merseyside derby.

Grobelaar rebuked McManaman for a poor clearance which led to a goal being conceded (the incident later named as one of the top five bust-ups between teammates in Premier League history).

In 1994-95, Steve McManaman signed a new million-pound contract, and new manager Roy Evans gave him a central, freer role.

Roy Evans wanted to utilize McManaman's natural running and dribbling ability to drift all over the park. It was a successful intent as McManaman began mesmerizing defenses with runs that were later to become hallmarks of the Liverpool side of the 1990s.

Steve McManaman showed remarkable form during the 1994-95 season, his great performances led the team to the 1995 Football League Cup Final.

McManaman collected a League Cup winner's medal after scoring twice in his side's 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers.

The fact about Steve McManaman's performance in the League Cup Final match is that such was his performance that fans named it "The McManaman Final".

 McManaman was awarded man of the match award, and a tribute from guest of honor, celebrated veteran winger Sir Stanley Matthews, saying to the press after the final: "He reminds me of me when I was playing ... I wish there are more dribblers like him."

From 1996 to 1998, Steve McManaman regularly won several 'Man of the Match' awards, and Premier League managers were constrained to deploy a man-marker particularly to follow him for the whole match.

According to interviews on an ITV documentary titled The Alex Ferguson Story (1998), 

 said that 

 was also tactically stabilized on stopping McManaman each time Manchester United played Liverpool, with Schmeichel adding Ferguson was so worried about stopping McManaman.

In spite of the side only winning two trophies during nine seasons with the Liverpool, the fact about Steve McManaman's spell with Liverpool is that his success at the club were special for a player in a side mostly labeled negatively.

Steve McManaman finished alongside Nick Barmby as joint runner up to Ryan Giggs in the PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 1993.

McManaman was named in the PFA Team of the Year for 1996-97 and also made the five-man shortlist for PFA Player of the Year for three seasons from 1995-96 to 1997-98, with the PFA website describing McManaman as one of the most talented players of his generation.

For a time, Steve McManaman held the record for most successive Premier League appearances as an ever-present at Liverpool club for four seasons including a club record for most appearances.

At the time of leaving the Premier League McManaman had the second highest scale of Premier League assists per game, with 112 assists in 272 appearances, with a total of 142 assists for the club; a mean of one assist per two-and-a-half matches.

Real Madrid

Steve McManaman transferred to Real Madrid on 1 July 1999, he was Guus Hiddink's last signing (before being sacked, and while the club was under President Lorenzo Sanz).

Obtained for free from Liverpool, while defending Los Blancos, Macca played in 152 games with a score of 14 goals. He forged a strong midfield partnership with Fernando Redondo, particularly in the Champions League, as Madrid beat defending champions Manchester United and Bayern Munich to reach the 2000 final.

Before his arrival, Real Madrid was described as undergoing a management and debt tension and Raúl told the press, "I feel sorry for new players like Steve McManaman coming into the club.

If he thinks he is coming to one of the world's top clubs then he has made a big mistake."

The fact about Steve McManaman's transfer to Real Madrid is that, he became only the second English footballer to ever play for the club, after Laurie Cunningham had played for them in the 1980s.

McManaman became the first-ever player from the Premier League to move to play for Real Madrid and he was also the most high-profile English footballer to transfer to Spanish football since Gary Lineker had joined to Barcelona from Everton in 1986.

Steve McManaman made his debut for the club on 22 August 1999 in the 2-1 La Liga victory against 

, where he assisted Fernando Morientes in scoring an injury time equalizer, enabling his side to go on to win 2-1 with seconds remaining.

His first goal for Real Madrid was scored a week later on his home debut on 29 August in a 4-1 thumping of Numancia at the Santiago Bernabéu.

McManaman and his side managed to go all the way to the 2000 UCL final under new manager Vicente del Bosque, who had replaced John Toshack in November.

McManaman's great form helped his side to defeat holders Manchester United and Bayern Munich to reach the final match.

In the final match, McManaman scored a fascinating volley in a 3-0 victory over Valencia. His performance on this greatest of club football stages saw him regarded the man of the match by the English press.

McManaman became the first English player ever to win Europe's premier club tournament with a foreign club after winning the 1999-2000 UCL title with Real Madrid.

Steve McManaman and his side managed to reach another UCL final in the 2001-02 season, he came on as a substitute for Figo on the hour mark– and thereby ensuring his second Champions League winners' medal, after his side secured a 2-1 win over German team 

.

McManaman won eight trophies during his four year spell with the club including two UCL titles and two La Liga titles, he became the most successful English footballer to ever play overseas (not just in Spain) in terms of trophies.

Manchester City

McManaman decided to return to England and on 30 August 2003 he joined long-time admirer Kevin Keegan at Manchester City, which resulted in a reunion with several ex-colleagues including 

, Nicolas Anelka, and later, David James.

His debut for the club came on 14 September 2003 in a 4-1 victory over Aston Villa at the City of Manchester Stadium, and quickly showed good early form with the club starting with a run of wins.

McManaman and Fowler were caught up in a sex scandal that seemed in the News of the World following a failed try by the pair to gain an order to prevent report, costing them £50,000 in addition to making the occasion look like a unchanging confession of guilt.

Steve McManaman played only two seasons for The Citizens and following Kevin Keegan's resignation in March 2005; he never played another match for the club. Keegan's replacement, Stuart Pearce, released McManaman on a free transfer on 20 May.

Steve McManaman international career

Steve McManaman earned England under-21 call-up in October 1990, two months before he debuted for the Liverpool first-team and made history by becoming the first player without first-team experience to play for the England under-21 team.

McManaman captained the under-21 team for the first time in February 1993 and scored the last goal in a convincing 6-0 win against San Marino.

The

fact about Steve McManaman

's senior international career is that he made his full international debut on 16 November 1994 in a friendly match against Nigeria.

He was a member of the England national team in Euro 1996 and played in all matches. They reached the Semi-Finals but were beaten by eventual champions,

, 6-5 on penalties.

The 24-year-old McManaman earned praise from Pelé, who according to the BBC touted him as the competitions' best player and said McManaman was the player he "was most impressed" by going on to say that he was "one of the best players in Europe".

McManaman alongside teammates

, Paul Gascoigne, and David Seaman were listed in the official Team of the Tournament.

During the years that Glenn Hoddle was England national team manager, McManaman failed to gain his trust despite being in excellent club form.

Liverpool's coach at the time, Roy Evans, regarded McManaman's England condition to The Independent newspaper before the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, saying, "There is not a player like him in England. I think he's fantastic; he's certainly a great asset from our point of view.''

He made a total of four starts in seven appearances under Hoddle, and only one appearance at the 1998 World Cup against Colombia, as a substitute for Paul Scholes.

In an interview, McManaman stated, "I think I probably least enjoyed my time when Glenn Hoddle was the manager. But I wouldn't say he was necessarily the worst.

I loved going to play with England. For instance, I did get to go to the World Cup even though I only played for 17 minutes. That kind of experience leaves an indelible mark on your mind. So I don't really think of it in terms of "worst"; but going to the World Cup and not playing much was a big thing for me, really, and that was under Glenn, of course."

With appointing Kevin Keegan as England national team manager, Steve McManaman was quickly reinstated to the England starting lineup.

On 4 September 1999, McManaman eventually broke his international goal scoring duck when he scored twice in the 6–0 Euro 2000 qualifier win against 

, again, at Wembley.

McManaman participated in Euro 2000 tournament and in the opening match against Portugal he scored the last of his three international goals, but he got injured in the second half and lost the rest of the tournament as England was knocked-out at the group stage.

Steve McManaman never played for Keegan again as he was ruled out with injury for Keegan's last matches before Keegan's sudden resignation from the England manager job in October 2000.

McManaman's last caps came in 2001 when new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson utilized him for England's first few matches in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

By early 2002, Eriksson apparently left a message on McManaman's answering machine to inform him that he was not going to be in the final World Cup squad.

French icon,

went on to remark England had made a mistake and described McManaman as one of the highest quality players he ever played with.

The fact about Steve McManaman's international stats is that he capped 37 times from 1994 to 2001 and scored only three times for England.

Steve McManaman stats

The fact about Steve McManaman's stats is that he participated in 275 Premier League matches from 1992 to 2005 for two clubs, Liverpool and Manchester City.

From 1990 to 1999, McManaman participated in 364 appearances for Liverpool and managed to score 66 goals and also provided 86 assists in all competitions.

In 1999 McManaman joined Spanish club Real Madrid where he played 158 matches and scored 14 goals and made 20 assists during his four year spell at the club.

He returned to England to spend last years of his career with Manchester City. McManaman played two years for the club and played 44 matches for The Citizens.

From 1990 to 2005 McManaman played in 566 official matches and his final appearance came on 7 March 2005 against Bolton in the Premier League.

Some quick facts about Steve McManaman:

The

fact about Steve McManaman

's playing style is that he usually played as a winger but his favorite position was attacking midfielder.

He was known for his remarkable dribbling ability, as well as accurate crossing and passing ability with either foot, which allowed him to make chances and provide assists for teammates.

McManaman was nominated for the award of England's best dribbler of all time in October 2016, but eventually it was Sir Stanley Matthews who won the award.

90 Minutes magazine named Steve McManaman as one of their 10 most overlooked England players of all time in 2020.

He nearly came out of retirement to sign for the Hong Kong Rangers in early 2006, a club owned by an admirer of his football, Carson Yeung, but the contract fell through because of his recurrent injuries which caused fail of his fitness test.

McManaman had a reputation for being a troublemaker; it began after an event before Euro 96, where along with Gascoigne and Teddy Sheringham, McManaman was photographed while drinking in Hong Kong. He was later accused of causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to the cabin of Cathay Pacific's first class flight.

He was also known for being a serial prankster with teammate Robbie Fowler, with the Spice Boys' image also making it worse, although, Gareth Southgate  said that McManaman's and Fowler's pranks, though "silly", helped the team spirit.

McManaman has been taking part in some "legends" squads for testimonial matches and fundraisers, most remarkably, at domestic level with the likes of ex-Liverpool players, but also for the European Association of Former Players along with a host of retired stars like Lothar Matthaus and Hristo Stoichkov.

Steve McManaman became an ambassador for UEFA  in its Champions League Trophy World Tour, as well as at the Madrid Festival leading up to the 2010 UCL final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Also he was officially stated as UEFA's only ambassador for the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final to be held at Wembley.

Steve McManaman has a coaching role in Liverpool academy to help encourage the club's future talents since October 2013.

After his retirement he has worked as a pundit, commentator and television show host. He worked Euro 2020 in the studio for ESPN and became ABC and ESPN's lead La Liga co-commentator alongside Ian Darke in 2021.

McManaman and his best friend and former teammate, Robbie Fowler, has invested in several racehorses through a company named The Macca and Growler Partnership.

His favorite bands are Radiohead,  the Beatles and Echo & the Bunnymen, while according to an interview in 2003 his favorite television shows were The Simpsons, The Office and Frasier.

As well as his native English, McManaman speaks Spanish, which he learnt during his time playing for Real Madrid.

The

fact about Steve McManaman

's championship winnings is that he won the 1991-92 FA Cup and the 1994-95 Football League Cup with Liverpool.

McManaman won the UCL title twice with Real Madrid; he also won the La Liga title two times and the 2002 UEFA Super Cup with Spanish club.

Steve McManaman social media

About

Steve McManaman social media

, it should be mentioned that he doesn't have any social media activities.

Steve McManaman body measurements

About

Steve McManaman body measurements

, it should be mentioned that he stands at a height of 1.85 m tall.

Steve McManaman net worth

Speaking about

Steve McManaman net worth

, it should be mentioned that his net worth is estimates to be around $18 million in 2021.

He was one of the highest-paid footballers during his career and had many endorsement deals with famous brands and also he has been very active after his retirement and works as a pundit, commentator, and also owns his own company.

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