Manchester United fans will spend hours backing Paul Scholes in the debate over who was the best of the Red Devils icon and his former England teammates, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Some of them saw up close just how talented the 11-time Premier League champion was when taking their seats in the Stretford End, while others watched his magic on their television screens.
Scholes was one of the most technically gifted talents English football has produced. United supporters are often eager to hear his take on the club since he hung up his boots and entered punditry. He doesn't mince his words, giving a scathing assessment of the current crop at Old Trafford.
The former 66-cap England international does have fond words to describe those he battled with and against during his illustrious career. The Daily Mail asked him to create his "Ultimate XI" of footballing icons and he was willing to name five former teammates in a star-studded lineup.
Peter Schmeichel - Goalkeeper
"Unbeatable on his day"
Paul Scholes went with Peter Schmeichel in goal and it was the clear and obvious choice given the seven years they spent together at Manchester United. The iconic Dane arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 1991 and became one of the most formidable shot-stoppers the country has ever seen.
Schmeichel's six-foot-four-inch frame made him a colossal prescence between the sticks and he was a leader in Sir Alex Ferguson's 1999 treble-winning team. He wasn't half bad at finding the net either, doing so for United in the UEFA Cup in 1995.
"Peter was unbeatable on his day – definitely the best ‘keeper I’ve ever played with" - Scholes on Schmeichel (via manutd.com).
Schmeichel's height helped him make several astonishing saves, pulling off acrobatic dives to help United dominate English football. He also starred for Denmark in their Euro 1992 triumph, saving a penalty from Marco van Basten in a semi-final shootout win over the Netherlands.
Peter Schmeichel's Career
Team:
Appearances:
Goals:
Clean Sheets:
Goals Conceded:
Trophies:
Gary Neville - Right-Back
Scholes' former United skipper
Gary Neville was a proper team player whose passion for his beloved Manchester United was displayed each time he took to the pitch. The Red Devils' former captain tends to downplay his ability when reflecting on his career but he was an excellent servant for his club and country.
Sir Alex Ferguson placed the captain's armband on Neville with no hesitation after Roy Keane's exit and he represented the winning mentality and high standards desired from his manager. But he wasn't just a skipper, he was a bright spark going forward, giving an outlet on the right and putting in dangerous crosses.
"Gary was the best English right-back of his generation and an example to any young player: hardworking, loyal and intelligent" - Ferguson on Neville (via The Standard).
|Gary Neville's Career|
|Team:|Man Utd|England|
|Appearances:|600|85|
|Goals:|7|0|
|Assists:|50|4|
|Trophies:|19|0|
|---|
Rio Ferdinand - Centre-back
Ex-teammates turned punditry pair
Speaking of standards, it's clear how high they were at Manchester United during Paul Scholes' era by hearing him and Rio Ferdinand describe the club's downfall over the years. They worked together as pundits and both wear faces of disgust watching the Red Devils nowadays.
Ferdinand was at Old Trafford when Scholes called time on his career twice and it's fair to say neither have been properly replaced. The legendary former English centre-back was a rolls-royce of a defender, accomplished with the ball at his feet while a gnarly opponent for attackers to deal with because of his bravery.
He wasn't afraid of the backlash that would come from moving to Manchester United from rivals Leeds United. He wore battle scars throughout his career and ranks in every fans' all-time Red Devils XI.
|Rio Ferdinands's Career|
|Team:|Man Utd|West Ham|Leeds|QPR|Bournemouth|England|
|Appearances:|455|155|73|12|4|81|
|Goals:|8|2|3|0|0|3|
|Assists:|8|1|2|0|0|2|
|Trophies:|11|1|0|0|0|0|
|---|
TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand Related
Rio Ferdinand Named Shock Legend as ‘Worst Teammate’ at Man United
The player in question holds a record that is likely not to be broken for a very long time.
Jaap Stam - Centre-back
"You knew he meant business"
There hasn't been a more frightening defender to arrive in the Premier League than Jaap Stam. The Dutchman was a fearsome centre-back who didn't have any flaws in his game, boasting an astute reading of the game alongside strength and pace.
Stam was a crucial member of the treble-winning team and that season was 'the rock of Kampen' at his very best. His dominance at Old Trafford saw him recognised by UEFA with the European Club Defender of the Year award in consecutive years.
Scholes had the pleasure of being Stam's teammate but also the displeasure of coming up against him after his uncermonious United exit in 2001.
"He was very quiet off the pitch, very quiet in the dressing room - but once he got on the pitch you knew he meant business" - Scholes on Stam (via The Mirror).
|Jaap Stam's Career|
|Team:|Man Utd|PSV|Lazio|AC Milan|Ajax|Netherlands|
|Appearances:|127|98|94|65|52|67|
|Goals:|1|11|4|2|2|3|
|Assists:|3|4|1|2|1|1|
|Trophies:|6|5|1|1|3|0|
|---|
Roberto Carlos - Left-Back
Scholes never beat the Brazilian
In six meetings with club and country between Paul Scholes and Roberto Carlos a win never went the way of the Englishman, losing on four occasions. It weren't just the Manchester United icon who often teasted defeat coming up against the best Brazilian left-back to grace the sport.
Carlos was a joy to watch, particularly going forward where his wand of a left foot caused all sorts of problems. He was such a deadly finisher, especially from set-piece situations, such as his exquisite 40-yard free-kick against France in 1997.
The Real Madrid hero was one of the Galacticos that took to the Santiago Bernabeu and he lived up to the hype. Speeding down the wing and sending an inch-perfect cross into the box as he did in a 3-1 win over United which Scholes called a Bernabeu "battering".
|Roberto Carlos' Career|
|Team:|Real Madrid|Fenerbahce|Corinthians|Inter Milan|Brazil|
|Appearances:|527|107|61|34|127|
|Goals:|69|10|5|7|11|
|Assists:|117|10|8|3|22|
|Trophies:|13|2|0|0|3|
|---|
Zinedine Zidane - Right midfield
"Unquestionably the finest player on the planet"
Sir Alex Ferguson called Paul Scholes his "Zidane" which perfectly describes how the Frenchman was the benchmark of midfield maestros. The classy Frenchman pulled the strings in midfield for Real Madrid with a style of play that had fans on their feet each time he gained possession of the ball.
Zinedine Zidane didn't do normal, as seen when he struck quite possibly the best Champions League final goal in history against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002. He was a dominant midfielder who could pick any sort of pass, cover every blade of grass and even help keep the opposition at bay.
"To see Zidane in action was to witness poetry in motion. The skills, the vision, the goals, he was a sublime performer. When he was at his peak, winning the World Cup, the Champions League and all the rest, he was unquestionably the finest player on the planet" - Scholes on Zidane (via Planet Football).
The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner's football career was that of a Hollywood movie, especially his last hurrah, sent off for a headbutt in a World Cup final. Him and Scholes would have made for some pairing.
|Zinedine Zidane's Career|
|Team:|Real Madrid|Juventus|Bordeaux|AC Cannes|France|
|Appearances:|227|212|179|71|108|
|Goals:|49|31|39|6|31|
|Assists:|67|50|24|0|29|
|Trophies:|6|6|1|0|2|
|---|
Luka Modric - Central midfield
Scholes wanted him at Man Utd
Manchester United were interested in signing Luka Modric before he joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2012. The Croat was the ideal long-term Paul Scholes replacement but he opted for the Santiago Bernabeu much to the Englishman's dissapointment.
"Modric, when we've played against him, has been the one I have been most impressed with. Whenever we played Tottenham, he was the one who stood out" - Scholes on Modric amid transfer links in 2011 (via Sky Sports).
Modric had shown promise of his world-class ability at Spurs but he became one of the greatest midfielders in history at Madrid. The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner flourished in a midfield trio alongside Toni Kroos and Casemiro. He didn't just win six Champions Leagues, he did so while dictating games at his choosing and coming up with moments of magic even in his late thirties.
|Luka Modric's Career|
|Team:|Real Madrid|Tottenham|Dinamo Zagreb|Croatia|
|Appearances:|591|160|85|186|
|Goals:|43|17|29|27|
|Assists:|95|24|21|29|
|Trophies:|28|0|6|0|
|---|
Toni Kroos - Central midfield
"I tried to emulate him"
Toni Kroos was another potential Paul Scholes replacement and he'd even agreed a move to Manchester United until David Moyes' sacking. The German was set to leave Bayern Munich where he had grown into one of the most admired playmakers in European football but he wrote himself into the history books at Real Madrid.
"Kroos is the best midfield passer in the world. Towards the end of my career, I tried to emulate him" - Scholes on Kroos (via The Sun).
Many were surprised when Kroos announced his retirement in 2024 at the age of 34 because he was still putting in masterclass shifts. His final Madrid appearance saw him set Dani Carvajal up in a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. Whenever he looked to find his man he often never failed with similar precision to Scholes.
|Toni Kroos' Career|
|Team:|Real Madrid|Bayern Munich|Bayer Leverkusen|Germany|
|Appearances:|465|205|48|114|
|Goals:|28|24|10|17|
|Assists:|99|49|13|21|
|Trophies:|23|10|0|1|
|---|
Ronaldinho - Left midfield
Scholes nearly played with "brilliant" Brazilian
The younger generation missed out on seeing Brazil in all their Ginga glory during the 1990s and 2000s and the master of their ceremonies was often Ronaldinho. The Barcelona hero was a unique talent whose skill and aura had fans glued to their television screens much like the ball was to his feet.
Ronaldinho wasn't just a highlight reel, he was an enormously gifted footballer who helped Selecao win the World Cup in 2002. He was the Catalans' king until Lionel Messi came along to the Camp Nou and Paul Scholes was desperate to play alongside the Brazilian attacker.
"Because he didn’t sign for us, everyone wanted to boot him and kick him, but you couldn’t get near him. Brilliant player, would loved to have seen him [at United] but, didn’t happen" - Scholes on Ronaldinho (via The Republik of Mancunia).
Manchester United failed to beat Barca to his signature in the summer of 2003. There's no telling the damage he'd have done in the Premier League because he was a constant thorn in English clubs' sides in the Champions League.
|Ronaldinho's Career|
|Team:|Barcelona|AC Milan|Athletic Mineiro|PSG|Brazil|
|Appearances:|207|95|85|77|97|
|Goals:|94|26|28|25|33|
|Assists:|69|29|30|19|29|
|Trophies:|5|1|3|0|2|
|---|
Ronaldinho Related
Ronaldinho Said 4 England Icons Would Get Into ‘Any Team in the World’ - Man Utd Duo Included
Two Man United and two Chelsea stars were named.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Forward
"Hard to put into words the kind of career he’s had"
Cristiano Ronaldo cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats by claiming five Ballons d'Or and becoming the first player to win five Champions League trophies. The first of each came at Manchester United when he took up the right wing spot in a dominant Sir Alex Ferguson side.
"Absolutely amazing, sensational. It’s hard to put into words the kind of career he’s had. He’s still going strong. I knew him as a young player when he came over from Sporting Lisbon and he was a little bit flash, a little bit cocky with all the skills
Paul Scholes was one of several players who saw Ronaldo transform from a bright brace-faced prospect into the greatest goalscorer in football history. They built a strong rapport because of their showboating instincts as hinted at by the Portuguese legend when reflecting on downtime duels with the Englishman.
“But he soon learned he had to start producing goals, making goals, scoring goals, and I never thought he would go on to score 700 goals. I never really saw that as a player but what he did then for the next few years and then Real Madrid in Spain, being so successful, he is a sensational footballer and still going strong" - Scholes on Ronaldo (via TNT Sports).
|Cristiano Ronaldo's Career|
|Team:|Real Madrid|Man Utd|Juventus|Sporting CP|Al-Nassr|Portugal|
|Appearances:|438|346|134|31|105|219|
|Goals:|450|145|101|5|93|136|
|Assists:|131|64|22|6|19|46|
|Trophies:|16|8|5|1|0|1|
|---|
Lionel Messi - Forward
Scholes sided with him in GOAT debate
Lionel Messi ran Manchester United ragged in the 2011 Champions League final when Barcelona, as Scholes put it "outplayed" the Red Devils. He was on target with an excellent strike in a 3-1 win to claim his third of four European titles.
The Argentine icon's importance in the Catalans' team during that period was without question and it came at a time when Ronaldo had arrived at Real Madrid. A Ballon d'Or battle for the ages ensued between the pair, with two contrasting attacking profiles strutting their stuff in Spain.
Messi had already got one over Ronaldo in the 2009 final in a 2-0 win over United and Scholes acknowledged the 2022 World Cup winner as the superior talent years later.
"Messi (is the best) but Ronaldo is brilliant. Ronaldo is sensational at what he does, with pace and power. He scores, he takes free-kicks. But as an all-round footballer, Messi – wow, his passing – has absolutely everything" - Scholes on Messi (via CaughtOffside).
Messi has become the most decorated player in football history to go alongside the eight Ballons d'Or he's placed in his never-ending trophy cabinet. He doesn't just achieve such feats, he does it in the most captivating style.
|Lionel Messi's Career|
|Team:|Barcelona|PSG|Inter Miami|Argentina|
|Appearances:|778|75|57|191|
|Goals:|672|32|45|112|
|Assists:|303|35|21|61|
|Trophies:|35|3|2|3|
|---|
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - correct as of 29.05.2025
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