Daniel Noel Drinkwater is a former English professional footballer who was a midfielder.
He came through Manchester United’s youth academy and spent time on loan with several clubs, including Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Watford, and Barnsley.
Drinkwater is best known for his time at Leicester City, where he was part of the team that won the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season.
This was an unexpected and historic triumph, as Leicester City were 5,000-1 underdogs at the start of the season.
Drinkwater played a vital role in the team’s success, making 35 appearances in the Premier League that season.
Early Life And Education
Daniel Noel Drinkwater is an English former footballer who was born on March 5, 1990, in Manchester, United Kingdom. His parents’ names are unknown but can be referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Drinkwater. He has a sibling named James Drinkwater.
Drinkwater attended Altrincham College during his educational years. At 9, he joined the youth academy at Manchester United, where he developed his football skills before starting his professional career. Drinkwater‘s ethnicity is white, and he practiced Christianity as his religion.
Career
Born in Manchester, Danny Drinkwater started his football journey early, joining the Manchester United academy at nine. He steadily progressed through the ranks, earning a trainee contract in 2006.
In his first season, Drinkwater became a regular for the under-18 team and even scored a couple of goals. However, he never managed to break into the senior squad at Manchester United. To gain valuable playing experience, Drinkwater embarked on a series of loan spells throughout his early career.
He spent the 2009-10 season at Huddersfield Town, followed by stints at Cardiff City, Watford (not mentioned in the previous version), and Barnsley. During his loan with Barnsley, he even scored a goal against his former club, Cardiff.
In January 2012, Drinkwater’s turning point came when he joined Leicester City. This move proved pivotal. He became a consistent presence in the Foxes’ midfield, playing alongside future stars like N’Golo Kante, Marc Albrighton, and Riyad Mahrez.
The culmination of his hard work and Leicester’s team effort arrived in the 2015-16 season – a historic Premier League title win for the club. Drinkwater even got his name on the scoresheet during this remarkable season, opening the scoring in a 3-0 victory over Stoke City.
Riding the wave of success, Drinkwater extended his contract with Leicester in 2016. However, a big-money move to Chelsea followed in 2017. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned at Chelsea. Injuries and a change in management limited his playing time significantly.
He spent the following years on loan spells at Burnley, Aston Villa, and Kasımpaşa, but his form never entirely returned to the heights he achieved with Leicester. After returning from his final loan spell at Reading in 2022, Chelsea released Drinkwater.
In October 2023, at 33, he announced his retirement from professional football. While his later career might not have mirrored the promise of his Leicester days, Drinkwater will always be remembered as a critical player in the Foxes’ historic Premier League triumph.
Drinkwater’s international career saw him represent England at various youth levels. He debuted for the England under-18 team in a 2-0 victory over Ghana, where he even scored the second goal. He also earned a cap for the under-19 team in 2008.
His impressive performances at Leicester City earned him a senior England call-up in March 2016. He made his senior debut against the Netherlands at Wembley Stadium, where he was surprisingly named man of the match despite the 2-1 defeat.
Awards and Nominations
Danny Drinkwater, an English former professional footballer, has received several notable awards during his career:
PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 (Championship)
Football League Championship Player of the Month: December 2013
Leicester City Player of the Season: 2013–14
Leicester City Goal of the Season: 2013–14
FIFA Club World Cup winner: 2022 (with Chelsea)
Personal Life
Danny Drinkwater, the English former professional footballer, appears to be a private individual in his personal relationships.
Limited publicly available information regarding his relationship status or whether he has a spouse exists. Drinkwater has not openly shared details about his private life with the media.
Net Worth
Danny Drinkwater‘s net Worth is around £10 million ($12 million). This significant wealth can be primarily attributed to his successful football career, which includes a high-profile £35 million transfer to Chelsea in 2017.
Additionally, Drinkwater has earned lucrative contracts with other clubs, such as Leicester City, and income from loan spells throughout his career.
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