Northwest England’s Manchester United football club has long served as one of Europe’s premiere professional football teams, boasting long-time fans such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others. Regarded as “The Most Popular Football Team in the World”, Manchester United currently holds the largest average game attendance in Europe, among numerous other distinctions cementing its high-profile status in sports.

Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the football club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. Now, aptly nicknamed the “The Red Devils”, the dynamic Manchester United’s club crest is derived from the Manchester City Council coat of arms. As one of the world’s most widely supported sports franchises, Manchester United is renowned for its vibrant and devoted fan base.

Under the management of Matt Busby in 1968, Manchester United won the European Cup before going on to win an additional 28 major honours under manager Sir Alex Ferguson, whose career of over 25 years thrived until his retirement in 2013. Leading his team toward the acquisition of 13 national championships, Ferguson remains one of the most well-known and respected managers in the history of English football.

With a record 20 League titles, four League Cups, 11 FA Cups, and 20 FA Community Shields, Manchester United won the continental treble, a brilliant accomplishment for an English football club.  Further demonstrating their outstanding impact in the world of football, Manchester United ranked first on the Forbes list of the world’s ten most valuable sports franchises in 2012. In the next year, Manchester United became the first sports team in the history to be valued at a staggering $3 billion – $1.2 billion more than the second ranked most valuable sports team in the world at the time. Although the team’s ranking has since slipped to the number two spot in 2013, Manchester United remains one of the world’s most wealthy clubs.

Whilst Manchester United has accomplished many fetes of incredible significance, the team has also experienced devastating loss. On February 6, 1958, a plane carrying the team crashed upon take-off in Munich, West Germany, killing twenty-three passengers, eight Manchester players among them. A shocking blow to the team and the world as a whole, Manchester United went on to rebuild and achieve great success in the following years. Adding to its worldwide fame is Manchester United’s all-time roster of international sports superstars including players Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. Continuous football supporters such as Tunde Folawiyo are aware that the future of Manchester United remains bright as ever.