Ryan Giggs’ achievements at Manchester United are legendary, and have at times overshadowed his incredible ability. Don’t ever forget just how good he was.
The ultimate one-club player, Ryan Giggs‘ list of achievements is beyond what any player would have thought possible.
Giggs won 13 league titles at Manchester United and two Champions League trophies, plus four FA Cup wins. He has the most assists in Premier League history (162) and the most all-time appearances for the Red Devils with 963.
Yet there is a lack of appreciation among younger fans for just how good Giggs was. The winger is not revered simply for his longevity, and his intelligence to adapt his game. Even in his late 30s, Giggs was running Champions League matches from central midfield.
The Ryan Giggs who broke onto the scene at Manchester United in the early 1990s was a totally different player to the one who ended his career. He was one of the best dribblers the game has ever seen, with an unpredictable ability to turn a defender both ways, while running with the ball in a fast and direct way towards goal.
Undoubtedly the greatest player to regularly wear the number 11 shirt in United history, Giggs’ ability deserves more recognition than it receives in the modern game. Due to Wales’ failure to qualify for international tournaments, Giggs suffered like George Best in that he never got the chance to take his game to the world stage.
But if you were there to witness Giggs in the early 90s, you will be under no illusions that this was a truly special talent. The first of the famed ‘Class of 92‘ to break through, Giggs blazed a trail at United, making his first team debut at 17 back in 1991.
Will Ryan Giggs ever be overtaken as English football’s most decorated player?
Ryan Giggs incredible honours list 🏆
- Premier League x13
- FA Cup x4
- League Cup x4
- Champions League x2
- UEFA Super Cup
- Intercontinental Cup
- Club World Cup
- Manchester United’s all-time record appearance maker
The best quotes on Ryan Giggs
Below we will relay the impact Ryan Giggs had in his early days at United in the 1990s and beyond through the eyes of the big names who saw him play.
Sir Alex Ferguson
“We always had a few scouts who claimed they were the one who discovered Giggsy. They probably did, but they never acted on what they saw.
“It was actually a steward who first told me it was a disgrace that this Manchester United fan was training down the road at City.
“I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and he floated across the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.
“His feet never seemed to touch the ground and that was the start of it all.”
Eric Harrison
“A young Giggsy was like a ballet dancer. I had never seen a young player like that and I had seen the Busby Babes.”
Bryan Robson
“He was thin and wiry but he just glided past four of our apprentices as if they weren’t even there, then he put the ball in the back of the net. I just thought, ‘This kid’s an absolute natural.'”
Denis Law
“There’s no way that Ryan Giggs is another George Best: he’s another Ryan Giggs.”
Gary Neville
“The best player in the history of the Premier League? It’s got to be Ryan Giggs, no question at all.
“Ryan has a God-given talent. I first played with him when I was 14. He’s still the best young player I’ve ever seen. It’s astonishing what he could do – the ball was tied to his feet and he could do everything at amazing pace.
“And, it’s probably not the first thing you think of when you mention Ryan, but he’s so tough mentally and physically very strong.”
Roy Keane
“Ryan was two years younger than me but in terms of ability and maturity, he was light years ahead.”
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Luis Figo
“He has the most talent than any other football player.He is delicate and dynamic. He is the player chosen by God.”
George Best
“Giggs gets me on the edge of my seat when he runs at defenders… as soon as he gets the ball he goes at players.”
Zinedine Zidane
“All of us at Juventus agreed Manchester United were the best side we met in the Champions League. They have so many talented young players and can only get better and better. Giggs is truly world class.”
Steve Bruce
“There will never be, in my opinion, somebody who is going to play at that level from the age of 17 to 40. It’s quite unbelievable
“I mean, Giggs was an absolute superstar at 14. I remember him training with us when he was 14, 15 and we thought, ‘Who was this little kid?’
“And he’s playing against Viv Anderson, who was England’s right-back, and basically taking the mickey out of him, where Viv in the end was having a little bop at the kid.
“You couldn’t catch him. He was so natural. He glided across the pitch where everything was so natural. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him out of breath.
“He had a wonderful capacity to dribble past people just effortlessly and a natural ability.”
Gilberto Silva
“In his prime, Ryan Giggs could have represented any country in the world – even Brazil!”
Paul Ince
“George Best in his time was a wizard. But Ryan can do exactly the same – they are comparable definitely.”
Gary Lineker
“I played against Ryan Giggs, obviously in my last game [for Tottenham] and one of his first games. And even then, you could see what a special player [he was].”
Paul Scholes
“European nights, he just got everyone going; given the ball, he’ll start something out of nothing and the crowd just erupts off that.”
Patrice Evra
“The way I saw Giggsy in training, it was like he lost a final of the Champions League. He was always on it!”
Alessandro Del Piero
“Only two players made me cry when watching football, one was Diego Maradona and the other Ryan Giggs.”
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