Debut:
16/08/2014 v Swansea City (H) 1-2 (Premiership)
Farewell:
Transferred to Paris Saint Germain, 04/07/2019, £Free
Passed Away:
Biography
Ander Herrera Agüera was born in Bilbao, Biscay, on 14 August 1989. An intelligent, energetic and fiercely competitive central midfielder, he represented Manchester United between 2014 and 2019, winning the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during five seasons at Old Trafford.
Herrera came from a footballing family. His father, Pedro Herrera, played professionally before working in recruitment and football administration with clubs including Celta Vigo and Real Zaragoza. Although Ander was born in Bilbao, he spent part of his childhood in Vigo and developed his career with Zaragoza.
He joined Zaragoza’s academy as a youngster and progressed through the club’s youth teams. After appearing for Zaragoza B, Herrera made his senior debut against Levante in the Spanish Second Division on 1 February 2009.
Herrera made 19 league appearances during the remainder of the 2008/09 season as Zaragoza secured promotion to La Liga. His energy, vision and confidence in possession quickly established him as an important first-team player.
He remained a regular over the following two seasons and helped Zaragoza retain their top-flight status. Herrera’s performances also attracted the attention of Athletic Club, who agreed to sign him in 2011.
The move to Bilbao carried special significance because Herrera had been born in the city and qualified under Athletic’s policy of selecting players connected to the Basque region. He made his debut against Trabzonspor in the Europa League in August 2011.
Under Marcelo Bielsa, Herrera became a central figure in one of Athletic’s most exciting modern teams. The club reached both the Europa League and Copa del Rey finals during the 2011/12 season.
Athletic produced several outstanding European performances during that campaign, including victories in both legs against Manchester United. Herrera played as the Basque side won 3–2 at Old Trafford and 2–1 at San Mamés, eliminating Sir Alex Ferguson’s team 5–3 on aggregate.
Manchester United attempted to sign Herrera during the summer of 2013, but the proposed move was not completed. The club returned a year later and secured his services after his €36 million release clause was activated.
Herrera officially became a Manchester United player on 26 June 2014, signing a four-year contract. He was one of the first major arrivals under new manager Louis van Gaal.
His competitive debut came against Swansea City at Old Trafford on 16 August 2014. United lost 2–1, but Herrera soon began demonstrating the movement, passing and ability to arrive inside the penalty area that had made him successful in Spain.
He scored his first United goal in a 4–0 victory over Queens Park Rangers on 14 September. Herrera also found the net against West Bromwich Albion, Yeovil Town, Swansea City and twice against Aston Villa during a productive first season.
He completed the 2014/15 campaign with eight goals from 31 appearances. His contribution helped United finish fourth in the Premier League and return to the Champions League following a one-season absence.
Herrera continued to contribute important goals during 2015/16. He scored in United’s Champions League qualifying victory over Club Brugge, converted penalties against Liverpool and Midtjylland, and registered the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Arsenal.
One of his most important moments came in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Wembley. Introduced as a substitute, Herrera supplied the pass from which Anthony Martial scored a stoppage-time winner.
He also appeared in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace on 21 May 2016. United recovered from falling behind to win 2–1 after extra time, giving Herrera his first major English trophy.
José Mourinho’s arrival transformed Herrera’s role. Rather than operating principally as an attacking midfielder, he developed into a disciplined and tactically astute defensive player during the 2016/17 season.
His performance against Chelsea at Old Trafford in April 2017 became one of the finest of his United career. Herrera closely marked Eden Hazard, created Marcus Rashford’s opening goal and scored the second as United defeated the league leaders 2–0.
Herrera started the 2017 League Cup final against Southampton at Wembley. He provided the cross from which Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed a late winning goal, securing a dramatic 3–2 victory.
He then played a decisive role in the Europa League final against Ajax in Stockholm on 24 May 2017. Herrera protected United’s defence, disrupted Ajax’s midfield and helped create Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s second goal as Mourinho’s team won 2–0.
Herrera was named man of the match in the final. His emotional post-match comments, in which he dedicated the victory to those affected by the Manchester Arena bombing two days earlier, strengthened his connection with the city and its supporters.
At the end of the season, he received the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award after being voted Manchester United’s outstanding performer by the club’s supporters. He was also included in UEFA’s Europa League Squad of the Season.
Opportunities were more limited following the arrival of Nemanja Matic, but Herrera continued to produce important performances during 2017/18. He scored the winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semi-final, sending United back to Wembley.
Herrera started the final against Chelsea, although Eden Hazard’s penalty gave the London club a 1–0 victory. It was one of four cup finals in which the Spanish midfielder represented Manchester United.
During the 2018/19 season, Herrera helped inspire an improvement following Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s appointment as caretaker manager. He formed an effective midfield alongside Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic before injuries interrupted his final months at the club.
Herrera’s contract expired in June 2019. Despite expressing his affection for Manchester United and a desire to remain, the two parties were unable to agree new terms. He subsequently joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
In total, Ander Herrera made 189 competitive appearances and scored 20 goals for Manchester United. His honours included the FA Cup, League Cup, Europa League and Community Shield.
At Paris Saint-Germain, Herrera won two Ligue 1 championships, two French Cups, the League Cup and two French Super Cups. He also started the 2020 Champions League final, in which PSG were defeated 1–0 by Bayern Munich.
Herrera returned to Athletic Club on loan in August 2022 before completing a permanent move. Although injuries limited his involvement, he was part of the squad that defeated Mallorca on penalties to win the 2024 Copa del Rey—Athletic’s first major trophy in 40 years.
In January 2025, Herrera fulfilled a longstanding ambition by joining Boca Juniors. He had admired the Argentine club since childhood, partly because of his father’s professional connection with South American football.
His spell in Argentina was again disrupted by injuries. After leaving Boca in 2026, Herrera completed an emotional return to Real Zaragoza, the club at which his professional career had begun. He agreed to play without a salary in an effort to help Zaragoza during a difficult period in the Spanish third tier. Report on his Zaragoza return
Herrera represented Spain throughout the youth levels and helped the Under-21 team win the 2011 European Championship. He also appeared at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
His senior Spain debut came against England at Wembley on 15 November 2016. Herrera collected two senior international caps, with his second appearance coming in a victory over France in March 2017.
Ander Herrera’s popularity at Manchester United extended beyond his ability as a footballer. His understanding of the club, passionate celebrations and willingness to perform unglamorous tactical assignments made him especially appreciated by supporters.
A technically accomplished midfielder with the mentality of a determined ball-winner, Herrera could create goals, score important ones and sacrifice his natural attacking instincts for the team. His outstanding 2016/17 season, Europa League final performance and genuine affection for Manchester United ensure that he remains one of the most fondly remembered players of the club’s post-Ferguson era.
