Luke Shaw Biography: Childhood, career and achievements

It seems like Luke Shaw has been around forever but he is still only 30 years old. Manchester United may not now have any active players from Sir Alex Ferguson’s managerial days but Shaw comes close. He has been playing for the club since 2014, just one year after the retirement of the legendary Ferguson. He has gone on to become a vital player for United in that time and a long-serving stalwart. However, he will be the first to admit that he hasn’t quite achieved the consistency that was expected from him when he first joined the Red Devils from Southampton. It hasn’t been his fault totally as he has not been helped by injuries. 

Childhood 

Shaw displayed signs of natural giftedness at an early age and joined the Southampton academy in 2002 when he was seven years old. His advanced skills showed and he found himself playing for the Saints’ U18 team when he was only 15-years old. From then on, it was not long before he broke into the Southampton first-team and his first activity with them was in September 2011 when he was named as an unused substitute in a League Cup game against Preston North End. 

Career 

Shaw spent nine years as part of Southampton’s development system before being integrated into its first team in 2011. He spent three seasons with the Saints' first team and during this time, established himself as one of the most talented left-backs in England. Shaw truly established himself as a star in the 2013-14 season as he was selected as the left-back for the 2013-14 PFA Team of the Year. At the end of that season, he earned a £30 million transfer to Manchester United which made him the most expensive teenager in world football at the time. 

His England debut came in February 2014 as he replaced Ashley Cole in a friendly against Denmark. To date, Shaw has been part of England’s 2014 and 2022 World Cup squads and 2020 and 2024 European Championship campaigns. He has never truly been a first-team regular in the England squad owing to injury problems as well as the sheer depth of talent, particularly during Gareth Southgate’s reign as manager of the team. 

Hailed as one of the best left-backs in the world, Shaw is also known for his ability to orchestrate attacks as a defender. During the earlier stages of his career, he was compared to Gareth Bale. Bale, who was also a product of Southampton’s youth development system, enjoyed successful stints as a player with Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid. 

Achievements

Shaw made a name for himself in the 2013-14 season as he was voted into the PFA Team of the Year while with Southampton. His career at United has been mixed in terms of fortunes. He may not have won Premier League titles but he has gone on to become a modern-day great at United.

He was the club’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year in 2018-19, Manchester United Players’ Player of the Year in 2018-19 and 2020-21, and was also in the PFA Team of the Year in 2020-21. 

Shaw has been a fringe player for England since 2014 being in and out of the team. However, he has never fully lost his place in the team. He remains part of the Three Lions plans and can potentially win selection to England’s 2026 World Cup squad.

In his time with United, he has won the EFL Cup and Europa League. While it does not look likely that United will win the Premier League anytime soon as the club remains in a rebuilding phase, Shaw could still play for it for the next few years and is likely to be a key part of the dressing room at the club.