Paul Scholes has opened up on the four best teams and five best players he faced in the Champions League during his legendary Manchester United playing career.
The 49-year-old Manchester United legend rose through the ranks of the club’s youth academy in the 1990s as one of the famed ‘Class of ‘92’ members.
Paul Scholes broke into the United first team under Sir Alex Ferguson and spent his entire career under the legendary former Red Devils manager.
The ex-United and England midfielder found incredible success during his career, including lifting 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups.
Scholes enjoyed major success on the European stage with United, with the Red Devils legend featuring in four Champions League finals.
The former United star was part of the famed treble-winning side in the 1998-99 season before lifting the Champions League trophy again in the 2007-08 campaign.
Scholes on four Champions League teams
Paul Scholes’ only two Champions League final defeats with Manchester United came against Pep Guardiola’s famed Barcelona teams in 2009 and 2011.
Speaking on The Overlap, the former Three Lions star was asked about the five best players he crossed paths with during his time in UEFA’s elite club competition.
Scholes admitted that he crossed paths with “some incredible teams,” including Serie A side Juventus and La Liga outfit Barcelona.
However, the ex-England international also opened up about his admiration for Real Madrid, specifically the “proper” ‘Galacticos’ era side that he faced.
“I played some incredible teams – that great Barcelona team, the Real Madrid team when it was the proper ‘Galacticos,’ Juventus,” Scholes said.
“I’ll go for [Lionel] Messi, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Clarence] Seedorf, I’m trying to think of midfield players and that Real Madrid team was incredible – [Fernando] Redondo, Ronaldo, [Luis] Figo, [Zinedine] Zidane and Raul.
“When we were trying to win Champions Leagues, those teams were ridiculous. It’s the same with England, the teams we had to come up against like France and Spain.”
Scholes on his five best Champions League players
Scholes initially called it time on his remarkable playing career in 2011 before the United legend walked back on his retirement decision in 2012.
The former England and United midfielder was part of the last Red Devils side to lift the Premier League title in the 2012-13 season before he retired in 2013.
Scholes revealed that Barcelona icon Lionel Messi and Brazil legend Ronaldo would be among the five best players he faced in the Champions League.
“Messi… Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, there’s two [sic] straight away. [Zinedine] Zidane… I love R9 [Ronaldo], I know he’s a centre-forward.
“They don’t need a ‘keeper with that five, do they?”
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