{"id":32634,"date":"2025-04-19T09:57:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T09:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/32634\/"},"modified":"2025-04-19T09:57:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T09:57:24","slug":"man-utd-legend-paul-scholes-dropped-ultimate-compliment-by-naming-best-midfielder-of-all-time-hes-clear-goat-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/32634\/","title":{"rendered":"Man Utd legend Paul Scholes dropped ultimate compliment by naming best midfielder of all time, he’s clear ‘GOAT’ pick"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes picked out one legendary former player that he crossed paths with in his prolific career as the best midfielder of all time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul Scholes<\/a> is considered one of the best players in Premier League history and the 50-year-old former Manchester United<\/a> star is one of the best midfielders of all time.<\/p>\n

The United legend<\/a> spent his entire legendary playing career at Old Trafford<\/a> and Scholes made a whopping 716 appearances for the Premier League club.<\/p>\n

Scholes was a key midfield influence for Sir Alex Ferguson\u2019s<\/a> legendary teams of the past and he scored 155 times and registered 82 assists for United.<\/p>\n

During his time at Old Trafford, Scholes captured 11 Premier League trophies, two Champions League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups with the Red Devils.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Iconic former United manager<\/a> Sir Alex Ferguson brought Scholes into the Red Devils first team<\/a> in the 1990s after he impressed in the United youth academy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scholes initially called it time on his illustrious<\/a> playing career in 2011 before he made a stunning U-turn on his retirement and returned to Old Trafford as a player in 2012.<\/p>\n

The ex-England and Red Devils midfielder hung up his boots for the second \u2013 and final \u2013 time in 2013 after United lifted their last Premier League title<\/a> under Ferguson.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Paul Scholes didn\u2019t hesitate to double down on only pick for best striker of all time, Man Utd legend had one name in mind<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"PhotoPhoto by Chris Brunskill\/Fantasista\/Getty ImagesMan Utd legend Paul Scholes crowned Real Madrid and France icon Zinedine Zidane as the best midfielder ever<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul Scholes shared the pitch with an abundance of legendary midfielders, including Manchester United legend Roy Keane<\/a> and Barcelona icons Xavi<\/a> and Andres Iniesta.<\/p>\n

Speaking on The Overlap, the ex-Three Lions star was asked to choose the best midfielder right now and the best player in that role in the history of football.<\/p>\n

Scholes revealed that his current pick for the best midfielder in the world would be none other than Manchester City and Belgium playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.<\/p>\n

When it came to the midfielder who would claim \u2018GOAT\u2019 status in that role, the United legend left himself out of contention and the likes of Roy Keane.<\/p>\n

Scholes admitted that he would put Real Madrid and France legend Zinedine Zidane<\/a> ahead of the likes of Keane, Xavi and Andres Iniesta in the midfield debate.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Jamie Carragher says \u2018people keep saying\u2019 same seven-word point about Ruben Amorim at Man Utd, he fully disagrees<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Why former Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson missed out on bringing Zinedine Zidane to Old Trafford<\/strong><\/p>\n

Former United chairman Martin Edwards previously claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson turned down a move for Zinedine Zidane when he was at Bordeaux in the 1990s.<\/p>\n

According to Martin Edwards, former United manager Ferguson did not want Zidane\u2019s arrival at United to cause problems for Red Devils legend Eric Cantona<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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“I tried to nutmeg him once, it was the worst thing I could have done.”<\/p>\n

Just how good was Zinedine Zidane?<\/p>\n

Paul Scholes knows firsthand how talented he was, and it seems the feeling was mutual\u2026#UCLIMMORTALS<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dNkL4EKdv4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 24, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

View Tweet<\/p>\n

\u201cAlex said that Eric had also mentioned Zidane to him but Alex felt Zidane played in the same position as Eric,\u201d Edwards said, as per The Sun<\/a> in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving gone over to France to persuade Eric to re-sign for us, after the Crystal Palace incident [with Cantona banned for eight months for his kung-fu kick], he felt that, if he had brought Zidane in, it may have affected Eric\u2019s position, so he stuck with Eric.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zidane, who is one of the best players of all time, would leave French outfit Bordeaux in 1996 and went on to have a magnificent spell at Serie A side Juventus.<\/p>\n

The 52-year-old World Cup winner completed his blockbuster move to Real Madrid in 2001 and \u2018Zizou\u2019 had a sensational impact in the Spanish capital as a player.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n