Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has now admitted that he “couldn’t compete” against one former player towards the end of his playing career.
Paul Scholes spent his entire club playing career at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time.
The 49-year-old former Manchester United star rose through the ranks of the youth academy before breaking into the first team as one of the famed ‘Class of ’92’ members.
During his time at Old Trafford, Scholes made a whopping 714 appearances for United and he scored 153 times and registered 82 assists for the Red Devils.
The United legend lifted 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, three FA Cups and two League Cups under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Scholes initially bowed out of Old Trafford in 2011 before the former England international made a U-turn on his retirement and re-signed for United in 2012.
The former United midfielder lifted the Red Devils’ last Premier League title in the 2012-13 campaign before retiring for the final time in 2013.
Scholes on facing one player
Speaking on the Football’s Greatest podcast, Paul Scholes believes that he made a “mistake” to walk back on his initial retirement and return to football.
The Manchester United legend recalled his experience of crossing paths with Gareth Bale, who was in scintillating form for Tottenham, at the time of his U-turn.
Gareth Bale, who was linked with United, would leave Tottenham at the end of the 2012-13 campaign and completed a blockbuster move to Real Madrid in 2013.
Scholes insisted that he stood “absolutely no chance” against the former Real Madrid and Spurs star, who was “starting to burst and he was flying.”
“I actually thought the first time I retired would be the end,” he said.
“I came back for six months originally and then the manager [Ferguson] wanted me to stay for another season and I think that was a mistake.
“I think it was the first home game of my last season, against Tottenham. I remember I didn’t actually play that badly but I remember playing against Gareth Bale.
“Now this could have happened to me when I was 21 but he was just starting to burst and he was flying.
“I remember him going past me two or three times and I knew I couldn’t compete with that, I had absolutely no chance.”
Scholes on aftermath of Bale experience
Scholes told fellow United legend Nicky Butt that his encounter with Gareth Bale was the moment that he “knew that was the end” of his professional playing career.
“I was in the ice bath later and I could’ve been in there for two days, I could barely move for three or four days,” he continued.
“That’s when I knew that was the end. It was a mistake to play that season.
“It was a special moment [to come on for his final match] but I didn’t really want it, I wanted to go away quietly.
“I didn’t even want to play the last game and even that confirmed I was doing the right thing.”
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