Sir Alex Ferguson showed how much the ‘world-class’ tier meant to him when he picked out only four former Manchester United players that he felt belonged in there.
The iconic 84-year-old former Manchester United manager dropped his 2013 book, ‘Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography,’ after he bowed out of the Old Trafford dugout.
Sir Alex Ferguson named four Man Utd legends who were standouts from his reign, which included Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo.
United in Focus has now decided to look at an alternative list of four Red Devils legends who should have been named in Ferguson’s ‘world-class’ Man Utd bracket.
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4. Roy Keane
The Manchester United relationship between Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson after their famous fallout in the 2000s at Old Trafford has been well-documented now.
However, there is no denying that Roy Keane was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch during his magnificent playing spell at the Premier League club.
Keane’s exploits as Man Utd captain have endured long after his playing career, including being regarded as one of the best Premier League skippers of all time.
However, the 54-year-old Irish hardman’s incredible exploits as a box-to-box midfielder are often overlooked due to his remarkable leadership skills.
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3. Peter Schmeichel
Not only is he one of the best shot-stoppers in Manchester United’s history, but Red Devils legend Peter Schmeichel is one of the all-timers in the Premier League.
Peter Schmeichel might have soured his relationship with United fans after he made his shock decision to sign for Manchester City at the tail end of his playing career.
However, the 62-year-old’s stunning exploits for Man Utd spoke volumes during the 1990s, including playing a key part in the famed treble-winning campaign in 1999.
There is a reason why it took former Man Utd and Aberdeen manager Ferguson so long to find a world-class shot-stopper to fill the void left behind by Schmeichel.
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2. Rio Ferdinand
It is incredibly difficult to leave Nemanja Vidic and Jaap Stam out after the two legendary former United defenders’ respective impacts at Old Trafford.
If there were a strong reason to leave Jaap Stam and Nemanja Vidic out of these four picks, then it would be that Rio Ferdinand edged out both of them.
Rio Ferdinand’s remarkable longevity and consistency across his 12 seasons under Ferguson showed how incredible his influence was in the heart of the defence.
A true Rolls-Royce defender for his time, Ferdinand’s playing style perfectly allowed someone like Vidic to shine even further in his illustrious spell at Old Trafford.
1. Wayne Rooney
The fallout might not be as bad as the Roy Keane situation, but Wayne Rooney’s relationship with Ferguson did sour during their time together at Old Trafford.
However, Wayne Rooney’s impact under Ferguson was nothing short of sensational after the ex-Everton striker was brought to Old Trafford when he was a teenager.
Rooney was the focal point of Ferguson’s attack during the mid-2000s until the Scotsman’s retirement as Man Utd manager at the end of the 2012-13 campaign.
The 40-year-old former Man Utd striker not only delivered in the final third himself, but he also made others around him shine, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.
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