Summary
Carrick faced challenges in a star-studded Man United era but won five Premier League titles and a Champions League.
His toughest opponents' lineup includes former Manchester United teammates Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane.
Famous midfield opponents featured in top 10 midfielders article; highlights include Iniesta, Xavi, and Seedorf.
Playing for Manchester United during their glory years was something of a double-edged sword - and few understood that better than Michael Carrick. Between 2006 and 2018, the former England midfielder patrolled the pitch in the shadows of giants, surrounded by some of the brightest stars in world football. The reward was a glittering cabinet of five Premier League titles and a Champions League crown.
But being an industrious cog in Sir Alex Ferguson’s relentless machine came with its own set of challenges. Carrick is one of the most underrated players of all time, often doing the dirty work while others basked in the spotlight. And while he trained with world-class teammates throughout the week, he was tasked with stopping their equals at the weekend, too.
With that in mind, the 43-year-old was quizzed about his toughest opponents in an interview with Sky Sports back in 2017, and the result is a starting lineup that looks scary just as it does wondrous.
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Peter Schmeichel; Philipp Lahm, Jaap Stam, Paolo Madlini
After playing both with and against Peter Schmeichel and Jaap Stam, there was no doubt in Carrick’s mind about including them in his toughest-ever opponents lineup. The former is widely considered the Premier League’s greatest-ever goalkeeper, while the latter won the UEFA Club Defender of the Year award in back-to-back seasons (1999 and 2000), rightly earning his place among the Champions League’s all-time defensive elite.
The Dutchman was domineering at the back, rarely finishing a game with dirty shorts - a testament to his ability to outmuscle, outthink, and outmanoeuvre opponents without breaking much of a sweat. That same effortless elegance can be found in Paolo Maldini, though arguably elevated to an even higher plane. As Carrick put it, you didn’t need to give Maldini instructions - just hand him a shirt, and he’d handle the rest. You could make a serious case for him being not just the best of his generation, but the greatest defender ever.
Completing the imperious back three is Philipp Lahm. Calm, precise, and always fair but firm, the German was a master of quiet authority. From 2011 in Munich to captaining Germany to World Cup glory in 2014, Lahm set a new standard for leadership - less thunderous than his predecessors, but just as commanding. Right-back, left-back, midfield - it didn’t matter. He belongs firmly among the pantheon of Bayern’s and football’s most consistent and cerebral performers.
Midfield
Roy Keane, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Clarence Seedorf
It says a lot about the challenges that Carrick faced in his midfield battles, particularly in the Champions League, that all four of his choices in the middle of the park feature in our article ranking the 10 greatest midfielders since 1990. What a player he kicked things off with by picking Roy Keane first - one of the hardest Premier League footballers of all time who knew exactly what it took to captain the Red Devils through 17 major honours. Meanwhile, on the far more dainty Andres Iniesta, he said:
"In terms of a direct competitor, Iniesta is probably the best I've played against. He is outrageous. He glides around the pitch and will play easy before quickening it up. He always wants the ball and is arrogant about it, not in a bad way, but he has that stature on the pitch. Him and Xavi, there was a gift there that you can't teach."
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As Carrick briefly touched upon, what made Barcelona so irresistible during their Pep Guardiola heyday was the midfield synchronicity between Iniesta and Xavi, who was equally well-versed in the brilliance of Spanish Tiki-Taka. Xavi, having been the engine that powered the Catalan giants to periods of unprecedented success, also played a key role in Spain’s dominance - as they became the first and only nation to win three major international tournaments on the trot between 2008 and 2012.
Clarence Seedorf played for all the biggest clubs and won everything there was to win with them. He completes a midfield packed to the rafters with big-name players, and his all-aroundedness made Carrick realise just how high the bar had been set during his own prime years.
Attack
Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba, Thierry Henry
Considering the fool that Lionel Messi made out of Man United almost every time he played against them - having won four of his six games against them, including two Champions League finals, and scoring four times - it's no surprise the greatest player of all time makes the cut. Recalling those frightening match-ups, Carrick said:
"I have played against him four times now. It started when he was young in the semi-final at Old Trafford in 2008. At the time I thought, 'Can you be that good?' He was just outrageous. There were times when I thought I had him and then he was off. He's probably quicker with the ball than without. He has that gift."
For his two other picks in attack, both Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry dominated the Premier League at different stages of Carrick's playing career. While Man United remained the dominant force during both of their stints, Arsenal and Chelsea were able to have a hefty taste of success themselves thanks to their strike units.
While Drogba scored 88 goals and notched 41 assists in 194 appearances as Jose Mourinho's side won four Premier League titles and FA Cups apiece, as well as a Champions League, Henry contributed to 249 goals in 258 appearances and won the European Golden Shoe twice to go down in history as the division's greatest-ever player. See Carrick's full lineup below:
Carrick toughest opponents' lineup
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 07/07/2025)