Describing the Legend - Paul Scholes

There are some names which people around the world consider as best in the world. Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and the list wouldn’t stop! They are considered as the greatest personalities in the game of football. But there is a name which, unfortunately, isn’t counted as the greatest by many of them. He is one of the biggest unsung football legend – Paul Scholes.

The one-club man, Paul Scholes, 37, has served for Manchester United Football Club for almost two decades. In these years he has won a lot of major trophies with the club including 10 Premier League titles and 2 Champions League. Paul Scholes is famous for his passing perfection, control over the game, trademark strikes and love and dedication toward the game. Currently into the final season of his career, Scholes is described as a ‘crucial’ player by Sir Alex Ferguson for the rest of the season.

Many people don’t like the way Scholes plays because of his tackling issues. However, the Legends of the game have a lot to talk about the ‘midfield maestro’ :

• “In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen – the most complete – is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.”- Xavi
• I’m not the best, Paul Scholes is.- Edgar Davids
• Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes, he is the best midfielder of his generation. I would had loved to play alongside him.- Pep Guardiola
• My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.- Zinedine Zidane
• The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes.- Patrick Viera
• I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.- Luis Figo
• At La Masia his name was mentioned a lot. He’s a teacher.- Lionel Messi
• When we were in training, I used to do a lot of tricks which hardly any players at the club could do. Once I was showing my skills to Scholes. After I finished, Scholes took the ball and pointed to a tree which was about 50m from where we were standing. He said, I’m going to hit it in one shot. He kicked and hit the tree. He asked me to do the same; I kicked about 10 times, but still couldn’t hit it, with that accuracy. He smiled and left.- Cristiano Ronaldo
• If he was playing with me, I would have scored so many more.- Pele
• To be honest I think England have lost their best player. Certainly he’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.- George Best
• I tell anyone who asks me – Scholes is the best English player.- Laurent Blanc
• An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being.- Roy Keane
• Nobody else can play the way Paul Scholes does.- Dimitar Berbatov
• He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League.- Cesc Fabregas
• I have no hesitation in putting a name to the embodiment of all that I think is best about football. It’s Paul Scholes. In so many ways Scholes is my favourite.- Sir Bobby Charlton.
• I can’t understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t seek the limelight like some of the other ‘stars’.- Thierry Henry
• Why isn’t he playing for England? It is crazy. Only in England. Scholes is a great, great player. So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him.- Jose Mourinho
• Paul Scholes had the best football brain I’d ever seen in a kid. Let’s face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of his own.- Brian Kidd
• Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team.- Marcello Lippi
• I wouldn’t swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best.- Gary Neville
• For me, it’s Paul Scholes. He’ll do ridiculous things in training like say, “You see that tree over there?” – it’ll be 40 yards away – “I’m going to hit it”. And he’ll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best.- Rio Ferdinand
• I think Paul Scholes is the best player in England. He’s got the best skills, the best brain. No one can match him.”There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere in the world. Paul is irreplaceable.- Sir Alex Ferguson

“At every opportunity, I wanted to play football”- Paul Scholes