The 1998/99 treble by Manchester United is regarded as one of the greatest achievements in English football history. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, the Red Devils clinched the Champions League in the most dramatic fashion.
In the final, Bayern Munich took the lead just six minutes in with a free-kick goal from Mario Basler. The German side held the advantage until the 91st minute.
From there, United staged a stunning comeback with goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, securing the victory and completing the historic treble. Remarkably, both goals came from substitutes.
When Sheringham equalized, many thought the match was headed for extra time. But Solskjaer’s strike in the 93rd minute sealed the win, creating an unforgettable night at the Camp Nou.
That United squad remains beloved by fans. But where are they now?
Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel
In the 1999 final, with Roy Keane absent, Schmeichel captained United. It was his last match for the club.
Considered one of Sir Alex’s best signings and among the greatest goalkeepers ever, Schmeichel won another title with Sporting Lisbon after leaving United. In 2001, he returned to the Premier League with Aston Villa, then ended his career at Manchester City.
Today, Schmeichel is a television pundit.
Right-Back: Gary Neville
To modern football fans, Neville is best known as a Sky Sports pundit in the UK.
In his playing days, he built a storied career at United and with England, as part of the club’s legendary Class of ’92.
After retiring, Neville served as an assistant coach for England and had an unsuccessful stint managing Valencia. He now focuses on punditry and is a co-owner of Salford City.
Center-Back: Ronny Johnsen
The Norwegian defender joined United alongside Solskjaer and was one of the unsung heroes of the treble. He was a reliable partner for Jaap Stam.
After six years at United, Johnsen played for Aston Villa and Newcastle, retiring in 2008.
Center-Back: Jaap Stam
Sir Alex has admitted that selling Stam too early was one of his worst mistakes at Old Trafford.
Joining from PSV Eindhoven in 1998 for £10.75 million, the steel-like defender helped United win titles in all three of his seasons. He later moved to Lazio, revealing details of the transfer in his autobiography, and also played for AC Milan and Ajax.
As a manager, Stam has coached at Reading and Feyenoord.
Left-Back: Denis Irwin
The Irish defender was one of Sir Alex’s most successful signings, joining from Oldham in 1990 for just £625,000.
After retiring at Wolves in 2004, Irwin worked for MUTV and serves as a club ambassador.
Right Midfielder: Ryan Giggs
Giggs made 936 appearances for United, holding a record 13 Premier League titles.
After retiring in 2014, he briefly managed United as interim coach and later assisted Louis van Gaal. In 2018, he became Wales’ manager but left in June 2022 amid legal issues.
Giggs is now a co-owner of Salford City.
Central Midfielder: Nicky Butt
A Class of ’92 member, Butt joined Newcastle in 2004 after starring for United.
He played for Hong Kong’s South China in 2011 before retiring. Post-retirement, Butt returned to United, working in their academy on youth development.
Central Midfielder: David Beckham
One of England’s finest players, Beckham wore United’s iconic No. 7 shirt before joining Real Madrid in 2003.
He later played for LA Galaxy in MLS, with stints at AC Milan and PSG in Europe. Beckham was involved in London’s 2012 Olympic bid and is now the owner of Inter Miami.
Left Midfielder: Jesper Blomqvist
Blomqvist was a backup for Ryan Giggs, who was dealing with a hamstring issue at the time.
Injuries plagued him after his first season at United. After retiring in 2010, he opened a pizza shop near Stockholm.
Forward: Dwight Yorke
The 1998/99 season was Yorke’s finest at United. Signed from Aston Villa for £12.6 million, he scored 29 goals across all competitions and formed a lethal partnership with Andy Cole.
Leaving United in 2002, he played for Blackburn, Birmingham, Sydney, and Sunderland, retiring in 2009.
Yorke is a pundit and currently manages Macarthur FC in Australia.
Forward: Andy Cole
Kevin Keegan faced backlash from Newcastle fans for selling Cole to United in 1995. Cole became one of Old Trafford’s top strikers.
When Yorke arrived in 1998, Cole nearly left, with Sir Alex eyeing Patrick Kluivert. Instead, Cole and Yorke became United’s greatest striking duo, helping secure the treble despite not scoring against Bayern.
Cole spent six years at United and ranks among the Premier League’s top scorers, notably without relying on penalties.
After retiring, he coached at Macclesfield and Southend alongside Sol Campbell.
Substitute: Teddy Sheringham
Signed in 1997 to replace Eric Cantona, Sheringham couldn’t fully fill the Frenchman’s shoes but made his mark with his crucial Camp Nou goal.
He returned to Tottenham in 2001, then played for Portsmouth, West Ham, and Colchester United, where he retired.
Sheringham managed Stevenage and India’s ATK FC but didn’t last long in either role. He’s now a television pundit.
Substitute: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
After missing out on Alan Shearer, Sir Alex signed Solskjaer from Molde in 1996. He played 11 seasons for United, retiring in 2007.
Solskjaer began coaching United’s youth team in 2011. He managed Molde twice, had a brief stint at Cardiff City, and returned to United as interim manager in 2018 after Jose Mourinho’s sacking.
Following a dramatic Champions League comeback against PSG, he earned a permanent contract but was sacked in November 2021 after a 4-1 loss to Watford.
Substitute: Raimond van der Gouw
Schmeichel’s backup, Van der Gouw played eight matches for United in 1998/99. He stayed until 2002.
After retiring, he coached at Sunderland, Vitesse, and PSV Eindhoven.
Substitute: Wes Brown
A 1999 academy graduate, Brown was expected to become a top center-back but excelled as a right-back. He won a second Champions League title in 2008.
After retiring in 2017, he became a pundit for MUTV.
Substitute: David May
May is better known for his celebratory photo with the Champions League trophy than his on-field contributions.
He’s now a pundit for MUTV.
Substitute: Jonathan Greening
Like May, Greening secured a prime spot in the Champions League celebrations. He was named to the final squad due to suspensions for Roy Keane and Paul Scholes.
Leaving United in 2001, he enjoyed memorable spells at Middlesbrough, West Brom, and Fulham.
Greening is currently the manager of Scarborough Athletic.
Substitute: Phil Neville
Though not as celebrated as his brother Gary, Phil Neville had a notable United career.
He joined Everton in 2005, impressing there. After retiring, he coached under David Moyes at United and managed England’s women’s team. He now manages Inter Miami, owned by Beckham, and is a pundit and co-owner of Salford City.
Suspended: Roy Keane
A booking against Juventus cost Keane a spot in the Champions League final.
His performance in Turin, where he played at 110% despite the risk of missing the final, was pivotal to United’s progression.
Keane is now a manager and one of the most prominent pundits in football.
Suspended: Paul Scholes
Scholes also missed the final due to a booking in Turin, though Keane’s absence drew more attention.
Unlike Keane, Scholes won a second Champions League title in 2008. He briefly managed Oldham but now primarily appears as a guest pundit and is a co-owner of Salford City.