Paul Scholes (born 16 November 1974) is an English football manager, former professional player and co-owner of League Two club Salford City FC.
He spent his entire professional football career at Manchester United FC, making over 700 appearances and scoring over 150 goals between 1993 and 2013.
At Manchester United, he won 25 trophies including 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two UEFA Champions League titles. He is considered one of the best midfielders of his generation and one of Manchester United’s greatest players of all time.
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- Full name: Paul Scholes
- Professional name: Scholes
- Date of birth: November 16, 1974
- Age: 49 years old
- Place of birth: Salford, England
- Nationality: British
- Occupation: Football Coach, Professional Football Player, Club Owner
- Height: 5 ft 6 in
- Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Scholes
- Siblings: Unknown
- Spouse: Claire Scholes (née Froggatt)
- Children: Three
- Relationship: Married
- Net Worth: $150 million – $200 million (USD)
Early life
Paul Scholes was born on 16 November 1974 to Mr and Mrs Scholes. He was born in a public health facility in Salford, Greater Manchester. He is of English descent, with Irish and Northern Irish ancestry. Scholes’ maternal grandmother was from Ireland while his maternal grandfather was from Northern Ireland.
Scholes spent his formative years in Greater Manchester. His family moved to Langley, Greater Manchester when he was just 18 months old. The family lived in Bowness Road and Talkin Drive. Growing up, he attended St Mary’s RC Primary School in Langley. Scholes’s first taste of football came when he first played for Langley Furrow.
Scholes began training with Manchester United when he was 14. He then joined as a trainee after leaving Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School, Middleton in the summer of 1991.
Career
Paul Scholes’ journey into the Manchester United first team can be traced back to his days in the club’s academy. He joined the academy as one of “Fergie’s Fledglings”, a group of players recruited by the club under the management of Alex Ferguson.
From 1991 to 1993, Scholes spent his youth career at the Manchester United Academy, honing his footballing skills. He made his full debut for Manchester United in the 1994–95 season and went on to spend two decades at the club.
Scholes made 718 appearances for Manchester United, the third highest number of appearances by any player. In May 2011, he announced his retirement and was appointed manager at Manchester United.
However, he returned to action in January 2012 and played one more season for the club before retiring for a second time in 2013. This was his final retirement as Scholes played his final professional match in the league on 19 May 2013, against West Bromwich Albion as a substitute.
During his time at Manchester United, Paul Scholes scored over 150 goals. He helped the club win 25 trophies including 11 Premier League titles (more than any other English player), three FA Cups and two UEFA Champions League titles.
He has won five FA Community Shields, two Football League Cups, an Intercontinental Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup. He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022. He has won the Premier League Player of the Month award four times: January 2003, December 2003, October 2006 and August 2010.
Paul Scholes made his debut for the England national team in 1997. He made 66 appearances and scored 14 goals for the team before retiring from international football in August 2004.
He participated in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, including the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Football Championships. Scholes cited his family life and club career as reasons for his retirement from international football.
After retiring from professional football, Paul Scholes’ first managerial position was at Oldham Athletic, where he held the position for just 31 days between February and March 2019. In 2020, he briefly served as caretaker manager of Salford City.
Scholes is also a club owner. In 2014, it was reported that Scholes, along with other Manchester United legends Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville, had agreed to buy Salford City ahead of the 2014–15 season.
Paul Scholes has also built his career as a pundit. In July 2014, he signed a four-year contract with BT Sport, launching his media career. He has also appeared on ITV’s coverage of the Champions League and England international matches. He also appeared as a pundit on Sky Sports during the 2013–14 season. In August 2014, Scholes landed a position as a pundit for The Independent.
Social media
Paul Scholes’ successful post-football media career has seen him become a social media celebrity.
- Instagram name: @paulscholeaaa
- Facebook fan page: Paul Scholes
- Instagram: 1 million followers
- Facebook: 1.4 million followers
Personal life
Paul Scholes is 49 years old and celebrates his birthday on November 16th. The retired midfielder stands 5ft 6in tall. He is a family man, married with children.
Scholes married his childhood sweetheart, Claire Scholes (née Froggatt), in Wrexham, Wales in February 1999. The couple have three children, a daughter and two sons.
Scholes and his family lived in the village of Grasscroft in Greater Manchester. He suffered from asthma and Osgood-Schlatter disease (a knee condition that affects young athletes). He was known to enjoy betting on football.
Net worth
Paul Scholes was one of the most highly regarded midfielders of his generation and earned a fortune during his time at Manchester United.
He is currently estimated to be worth between US$150 million and US$200 million.
