Paul Scholes names his top five players to ever play for Man Utd – from Cantona to Keane.
Paul Scholes names his top five players to ever play for Man Utd | Football
Scholes is well-placed to assess the club’s greatest players as one himself; during his 20-year spell at Old Trafford he lifted 11 Premier League titles, five domestic cups and two Champions Leagues.
The legendary midfielder is in fact one of the most decorated footballers in history and regarded as one of the best players of his generation.
Scholes was given the unenviable task of naming Manchester United’s top-five players in a TikTok with MailSport and admitted it was ‘difficult’ to choose between some players who are hailed as all-time greats never mind club legends.
At five, Scholes picked the iconic French striker Eric Cantona, who has widely been identified as the player who took Sir Alex Ferguson’s early Manchester United team to the next level in the 1990s.
Cantona only spent five years at United but made a huge impact during his time at Old Trafford, scoring 82 goals and starring in four league titles.
‘I’m going to give you my top-five Manchester United players of all time,’ Scholes said. ‘his is difficult.
‘Number five, Eric Cantona. I only played with him for a year or two but he made a massive impact on the club.
‘He was a sensational player and was probably the missing link which got the team over the line to winning titles.’
At four, Scholes picked Manchester United’s longest-serving captain, the former England midfielder Bryan Robson.
‘Captain Marvel’ made over 400 appearances for the Red Devils and in August 2011 was voted by the club’s former players as the greatest ever United player.
Scholes said: ‘He was another hero of mine growing up and I was lucky enough to play with him towards the end of his career.
‘All-action midfield player that could do everything that a Manchester United midfielder should do.’
A player in the same mould as Robson, Roy Keane, was Scholes’ third pick.
The joint-most decorated Irish player in history was arguably Manchester United’s most important player in the late 90s, captaining the club to multiple league titles and the then-unprecedented treble in 1998-99.
‘He did everything for this club,’ Scholes said of the now-popular pundit. ‘He captained the club and he was the manager on the football pitch.
‘He did absolutely everything. He helped with the defence, the attack, contributed in every single way that a Man United midfielder should do.’
United’s greatest-ever goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, slotted in at No. 2 on Scholes’ list.
Rooney’s tally of 253 goals for Manchester United may never be beaten but the England legend is remembered more for than just his goals.
Paul Scholes’ top-five Man Utd players
Ryan Giggs
Wayne Rooney
Roy Keane
Bryan Robson
Eric Cantona
‘He was a scintillating, amazing footballer,’ Scholes said of his former United and England teammate.
‘Raw power, his technique was sensational, brilliant goalscoring record. I was lucky enough to play with him for a long time.’
Finally, at number one, Scholes threw his support behind Ryan Giggs, who won even more trophies than the aforementioned legends across a 24-year spell at the club.
Giggs made 963 appearances for the Manchester club – a record that will never be surpassed – and outlasted Fergie after being brought into the side by the legendary manager.
‘Number one, I’ll go for Ryan Giggs,’ Scholes concluded. ‘What he did for this club from the age of 17 to 40 was outstanding.
‘As a young winger he would go past people, get the crowd off their feet and change games for us. And then as an older player he went to central midfielder and was equally as influential doing that.
‘That’s why he’s number one for me.’
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