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By Hoang An  February 19, 2025 | 06:29 pm PT
Jariyah Shah, a 16-year-old midfielder of Vietnamese descent, made his debut for Manchester United in a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton in the U18 Premier League on Tuesday.
Born in Australia in 2009 to a Pakistani father and a Vietnamese mother, Shah moved to England at a young age and now holds British citizenship, according to Pakistan news site Pro Sports. This gives him the option to represent England, Australia, Pakistan, or Vietnam at the international level.
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Jariyah Shah in a football match. Photo courtesy of Jariyah Shah's Instagram account |
Shah's journey to Manchester United began at Doncaster Rovers Academy in South Yorkshire, where he honed his skills before earning a scholarship with the Premier League giants in March 2023. English media reported that United paid Doncaster at least £100,000 (US$126,000) to sign him at just 14.
Since joining, he has been a regular for the U16 squad, playing alongside Kai Rooney, son of club legend Wayne Rooney. On Feb. 18, he took a big step forward, making his U18 debut as a starter while wearing the No. 8 jersey. He played 64 minutes before being subbed off.
At 1.8 meters tall, Shah lined up in central midfield next to team captain Tyler Fletcher, son of former United midfielder Darren Fletcher. In the match, he had fewer touches than Fletcher but was constantly moving, looking for space and pressing opponents. However, he had a quiet game and did not contribute a goal or an assist to the team's victory.
Man United are the reigning U18 champions but currently sit second in the Northern division with 38 points after 15 matches, two points behind Manchester City. Most of the team consists of players born in 2007 and 2008, making Shah, born in 2009, the youngest player to feature for the U18s this season.
Vietnam has been actively scouting overseas Vietnamese talents for both V-League clubs and the national team. The current national team includes players like Czech-Vietnamese Mac Hong Quan and Nguyen Filip, and Russian-Vietnamese Dang Van Lam.
Others making their mark in the V-League and pushing for a call-up include Jason Quang Vinh Pendant, Pierre Lamothe, Kyle Colonna, Leygley Minh Adou, and goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang.
