Ben Foster's time at Manchester United wasn't one he looks back on too fondly, and he once claimed that he felt like he 'didn't belong' at the club. The English goalkeeper joined the Red Devils from Stoke City in the summer of 2005 but failed to become Edwin van der Sar's successor.
Despite enduring a difficult spell at Old Trafford, Foster was able to get his hands on two Premier League winners' medals alongside many United heroes. Cristiano Ronaldo was at the forefront of those two league triumphs, bagging 31 goals in 34 games in the 2007-09 season and 18 goals in 33 games the following season.
Ronaldo is for many, including himself, the best player in history, but Foster opted for another ex-United teammate. He highlighted how Paul Scholes made everything look easy.
Foster: Scholes Trumps Ronaldo As Best Player I've Seen
The ex-United goalkeeper gave a glowing verdict
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes was one of the most highly-admired midfielders whose creative brilliance and passing range often left fans in awe. Foster was
clearly one of those who relished watching the former England international in action, as he said on The Squeaky Bum Time podcast in April 2020:
"He's the best player I've ever seen live. Yep [above Cristiano Ronaldo]. He was effortless, everything just came so naturally to him. Striking a ball, if you could see him strike a ball, he didn't miss any part of the ball, it was all full, 100 per cent contact with the ball. He was beautiful, he was a beautiful player to watch."
Paul Scholes' Manchester United Career
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Trophies
Scholes was a vital member of Sir Alex Ferguson's United side during the Scot's dominant era, helping his boss win 11 Premier League titles and an unprecedented treble in 1999. He scored several vital goals along the way with a sublime strike of the ball that Foster alluded to.
Paul Scholes
A scorcher of a volley against Aston Villa at Villa Park in December 2007 was simply outrageous, while he also hit a screamer against Barcelona en route to becoming European champion in 2008. He mastered the art of playmaking to a level that many argue he belonged in Pep Guardiola's Blaugrana midfield alongside Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Xavi.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Scholes Was The Best I Played With
The iconic United duo spent six years together
Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo spent his career with some of the best ball-playing midfielders in history, including Real Madrid greats Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Xabi Alonso. But, similarly to Foster, he suggested Scholes was in a league of his own while also highlighting the influence the former English midfielder had on his early career:
"Scholes is the best I’ve played with and he helped me a lot when I was young. He’s amazing."
Scholes was entering his thirties when a teenage Ronaldo arrived at the club in 2003 and they were soon flourishing as one of Ferguson's lethal weapons. The legendary playmaker's incredible footballing IQ blended with football's all-time top goalscorer's pace and clincal finishing.
Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo
Their link-up sometimes goes under the radar when reflecting on the United team of the mid-2000s, with Scholes setting up Ronaldo on five of the eight jointly-participated goals between they shared. One of those was an exquisitely chipped cross that met the Portuguese attacker, who rose unbelievably high to head home in a 2-0 win over AS Roma in 2008.
All statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt- correct as of 12/03/2025.
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