The New Zealander burst onto the scene in 2004 as an 18-year-old with NRL side Canterbury Bulldogs and would go on to scale the heights in both codes, including two Rugby World Cup triumphs with the All Blacks across his two spells in rugby union. Performance director Sara Symington said: "As we start the Paris cycle, and longer-term Los Angeles 2028, we made a number of informed decisions in regard to the World Class Programme membership that aligns with our strategic priorities. In a league where Guardiola, Klopp and Tuchel set the standard for shaping a team, Solskjaer too often needed moments of brilliance from individual members of United's expensively assembled cast. "Semi-finals and finals don't just come around every season, so you need to take it with both hands and be willing to work for it."