Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt began the 2025/26 campaign as an undisputed starter under former head coach Ruben Amorim. The Dutchman was a revelation at the back, operating either as the central centre-back or the right-sided centre-back, as required.
De Ligt’s performances earned him United’s Player of the Month award for November, yet the 26 year old has not kicked a ball since the start of December. De Ligt was initially sidelined with a back injury and as things failed to improve, he had to undergo surgery to address the matter.
In his absence, United oversaw significant changes in the backroom. Ruben Amorim departed after failing to inspire change despite investing over £200 million in the squad last summer.
Michael Carrick arrived as the Portuguese’s temporary replacement, secured a third-place finish in the Premier League courtesy of a run of 12 wins in 17 games, and bagged the full-time job. De Ligt, meanwhile, is expected to return to full fitness in the early stages of next season, when he will continue a surprise managerial trend.
De Ligt’s strange managerial record
According to Flashscore, De Ligt has played under a new manager in every season of his career. In his 11 seasons as a professional, the Dutchman has played under 10 different managers, with only Erik ten Hag managing him twice, albeit at different clubs!
The Dutchman rose through the ranks at Ajax and broke into the senior side in 2016 under Peter Bosz. A year later, the Dutch manager lost his job and Marcel Keizer took over the Eredivisie side.
Keizer, however, did not last long either, with De Ligt playing under Ten Hag the following campaign, before leaving in the summer of 2019 to join Juventus. At Turin, the Dutch defender continued the bizarre trend, playing under Maurizio Sarri, Andrea Pirlo and Massimiliano Allegri.
De Ligt joined Bayern Munich in 2022 and started his spell at the Allianz Arena under Julian Nagelsmann. The following year, the German was sacked and Thomas Tuchel took over, ensuring that De Ligt’s record remained intact. The Dutch defender arrived at United at the end of his second season, and the managerial curse appears to have followed him to Old Trafford.
De Ligt has played under two managers at United
Ten Hag oversaw a reunion with his former player at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2024, but could not survive the managerial curse. The Dutch manager lost his job in October that year, with Ruben Amorim taking charge the following month.
De Ligt was a first-team regular under the Portuguese head coach until his injury at the end of last year. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that United have no desire to part ways with the defender this summer despite his fitness woes.
That means that when the Dutchman returns to action next season, he will be playing under Carrick, and the strange record will continue. However, United fans will hope that the Englishman will finally lift the curse and relieve De Ligt of the unwanted record.
Matthijs de Ligt: Details of Managers played under
| Year | Manager | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Peter Bosz | Ajax |
| 2017 | Marcel Keizer | Ajax |
| 2018 | Erik ten Hag | Ajax |
| 2019 | Maurizio Sarri | Juventus |
| 2020 | Andrea Pirlo | Juventus |
| 2021 | Massimiliano Allegri | Juventus |
| 2022 | Julian Nagelsmann | Bayern Munich |
| 2023 | Thomas Tuchel | Bayern Munich |
| 2024 | Erik ten Hag | Manchester United |
| 2025 | Ruben Amorim | Manchester United |
| 2026 (Tentative) | Michael Carrick | Manchester United |
Final Thoughts
While United vastly improved their defensive performances under Carrick, they still remain vulnerable at the back. De Ligt was a rock under Amorim, and fans will hope that he can be a pillar in the club’s resurgence under the Englishman next season.
Featured image Alex Pantling via Getty Images
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