Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jack Grealish

How Jack Grealish built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Jack Grealish is a prominent English professional footballer currently playing as a winger or attacking midfielder for Manchester City in the Premier League. He is also a member of the England national team. Known for his dribbling skills, creativity, and playmaking abilities, Grealish is a key player for both club and country, contributing significantly to their attacking prowess.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

March 2012: Unused Substitute Against Chelsea

On 31 March 2012, at the age of 16, Grealish was named as an unused substitute in Aston Villa's 4–2 home Premier League defeat against Chelsea.

October 2012: Approach from England FA

In October 2012, after being left off the Republic of Ireland under-21 team, the English FA approached Jack Grealish to switch his international allegiance.

May 2013: Consideration of Switching Allegiance

In May 2013, Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Noel King stated that Jack Grealish was considering switching to England, leading to him not being considered for a friendly match.

August 2013: Under-21 Debut for Republic of Ireland

In August 2013, Jack Grealish made his under-21 debut for the Republic of Ireland as a late substitute against the Faroe Islands.

September 2013: Loan to Notts County

On 13 September 2013, Grealish joined League One club Notts County on a youth loan.

January 2014: Loan Extension with Notts County

On 17 January 2014, Grealish extended his loan with Notts County until the end of the season. He ended the loan with five goals and seven assists in 38 appearances.

May 2014: Aston Villa Debut

In May 2014, Grealish made his debut for Aston Villa after a loan spell at Notts County.

August 2014: Named to Republic of Ireland Under-21 Squad

In August 2014, Jack Grealish was named to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad, initially reported to decline the call-up due to his international future, but eventually played in a loss against Germany.

September 2014: New Contract with Aston Villa

In September 2014, Grealish was offered a new four-year deal by Aston Villa and on 14 October, he signed the contract.

October 2014: Pulled Out of Ireland Squad

In October 2014, Jack Grealish withdrew from the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad to participate in a friendly for Aston Villa, with England monitoring his situation.

March 2015: Awarded Under-21 Player of the Year

In March 2015, Jack Grealish received the Under-21 player of the year award by the Football Association of Ireland and announced he took a break from youth internationals to focus on breaking into the Aston Villa first team.

May 2015: Turned Down Irish Senior Squad Call-Up

In May 2015, Jack Grealish declined a call-up to the Irish senior squad for a friendly against England and a European Championship qualifier against Scotland.

August 2015: Meeting with Roy Hodgson

In August 2015, England manager Roy Hodgson met with Jack Grealish to discuss his international future.

September 2015: Decided to Represent England

In September 2015, Jack Grealish officially announced his decision to represent England at the international level.

September 2015: First Goal for Aston Villa

On 13 September 2015, Grealish scored his first goal for Aston Villa in a match against Leicester City, but his team lost.

January 2016: Loan Enquiry Rejected

On 7 January 2016, Leeds United's head coach Steve Evans said that Aston Villa had rejected an enquiry to take Grealish on loan.

April 2016: Decision to Play for England

In April 2016, Grealish confirmed his decision to represent England internationally, despite having played for the Republic of Ireland at the youth level.

May 2016: England Under-21 Debut and Toulon Tournament Win

In May 2016, Grealish made his debut for the England under-21 team and won the 2016 Toulon Tournament.

May 2016: Debut for England Under-21s

In May 2016, Jack Grealish debuted for England under-21s as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Portugal at the Toulon Tournament.

2018: Linked with Tottenham Hotspur

In the summer of 2018, following Aston Villa's failure to gain promotion to the Premier League, Grealish was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur but the transfer did not materialize and he remained at Aston Villa.

March 2019: Captaincy and Assault

In March 2019, Grealish began captaining Aston Villa, and during a match against Birmingham City, he was assaulted by a pitch invader but still scored the winning goal. Villa went on to secure promotion to the Premier League.

August 2019: Goal Against Crewe Alexandra

In August 2019, Grealish scored his first goal of the 2019-20 season against Crewe Alexandra in the EFL Cup.

2019: Club Captain

In 2019, Grealish became the club captain for Aston Villa.

July 2020: Premier League Survival and Player of the Season

In July 2020, Grealish scored on the final day to help Aston Villa secure Premier League survival. He was also voted the club's Player of the Season.

August 2020: Called up to Senior England Squad

In August 2020, Jack Grealish received his first call-up to the senior England squad for the UEFA Nations League fixtures against Iceland and Denmark.

2020: UEFA Euro 2020

In 2020, Grealish represented the senior England side at UEFA Euro 2020.

June 2021: Named in UEFA Euro 2020 Squad

In June 2021, Jack Grealish was selected for the 26-man squad for the rescheduled UEFA Euro 2020 and contributed to two goals in the match against Germany.

August 2021: Signs for Manchester City

In August 2021, Grealish signed a six-year contract with Manchester City for £100 million, becoming the most expensive English player at the time. He was given the number 10 shirt.

October 2021: First International Goal

In October 2021, Jack Grealish scored his first international goal during England's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Andorra.

2021: Signed by Manchester City

In 2021, Grealish was signed by Manchester City in a transfer deal worth £100 million, making him the most expensive British player ever at the time. He later won a Premier League title in his first season and a continental treble in his second.

September 2022: First Goal of the 2022-23 Season

In September 2022, Grealish scored his first goal of the 2022–23 season in a victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

November 2022: Second International Goal at World Cup

On 21 November 2022, Jack Grealish scored his second international goal during England's first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Iran and celebrated by waving his arms about for a young fan with cerebral palsy.

2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup

In 2022, Grealish played for England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and became the second football player to play for both Ireland and England after Declan Rice.

January 2023: Goal Against Manchester United

In January 2023, Grealish scored the opening goal in City's derby defeat against Manchester United.

February 2023: Goal Against Arsenal

In February 2023, Grealish scored in a victory against league leaders Arsenal.

May 2023: Premier League Title Win

On 20 May 2023, Jack Grealish secured his second consecutive Premier League title after Arsenal's loss. He later won the FA cup and the Champions League to secure a treble with Manchester City, and celebrated extensively afterward. He was praised for his contributions to the team's success.

August 2023: UEFA Super Cup Victory

On 16 August 2023, Jack Grealish participated in Manchester City's UEFA Super Cup victory over Sevilla, converting his penalty in the shoot-out. Later in August 2023, Grealish was unavailable for a game due to a dead leg and subsequently spent time on the bench.

2024: Missed Out on Final Euro 2024 Squad

After initially being named in England's provisional squad for UEFA Euro 2024, Jack Grealish missed out on the final 26-man squad.

January 2025: Goal Against Salford City and Paris Saint-Germain

In January 2025, Jack Grealish scored his first club goal in over a year in an 8–0 victory against Salford City in the FA Cup third round. Also in January 2025, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal since the 2021–22 season against Paris Saint-Germain.

April 2025: Premier League Goal and FIFA Club World Cup Omission

In April 2025, Jack Grealish scored his first and only Premier League goal of the 2024–25 season in a victory over Leicester City. However, he was later left out of the club's squad for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.