The Treble Season

Lore & Background

United lost seven times all season: in the Charity Shield against Arsenal; in the fifth round of the League Cup against eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur; and five times in the league, including their only home loss all season, against Middlesbrough in December 1998. A run of 33 games unbeaten in all competitions began on 26 December at home to Nottingham Forest. The season was characterised by comebacks, including the FA Cup fourth round against Liverpool, the Champions League semi-finals against Juventus, and the Champions League final, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær scored in injury time to overturn Bayern Munich's early lead. Veteran players Gary Pallister and Brian McClair left before the season; their replacements, Dutch defender Jaap Stam from PSV Eindhoven and Trinidadian striker Dwight Yorke from Aston Villa, were both signed for club record fees. In November 1998, goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel announced he would leave at the end of the season, joining Sporting CP. A takeover bid of more than £600 million from British Sky Broadcasting was blocked by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in April 1999.

In Their Own Story

The clock at Camp Nou ticked past ninety minutes. Bayern Munich held their breath, believing the trophy was theirs. On the Manchester bench, Sir Alex Ferguson stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the pitch where his exhausted men were being pushed back. Then, a corner kick. The ball swung in, Sheringham rose to nod it home. One minute later, another corner. Solskjær buried the rebound. The roar from the traveling fans was deafening, a sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium. As the final whistle blew, the pitch erupted into a sea of red and gold confetti. It wasn't just a victory; it was a resurrection.

Reader's Guide

Fans and writers regard the Treble as manager Alex Ferguson's greatest achievement. He was awarded a knighthood and the Freedom of the City of Glasgow in November 1999. David Beckham was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for 1998–99, and was runner-up to Rivaldo for the 1999 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. As of 2025, the Treble has only been matched once by an English club: by Manchester City in 2022–23.

Did You Know?

• United's only home league loss all season was against Middlesbrough in December 1998.
• The Treble-winning season included a 33-match unbeaten run in all competitions starting on 26 December 1998.
• Dwight Yorke and Jaap Stam were both signed for club record fees before the season.
• The Champions League final was won with injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.