Paul Scholes: Play

“The truly great English midfield player of the generation. Didn’t just play the game, he thought about the game. You could see every pass, every decision, was based on his intelligence and understanding.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/andrea-pirlo-dream-xi-paul-scholes-the-only-englishman-as-juventus-star-leaves-out-cristiano-ronaldo-in-favour-of-pippo-inzaghi-9992885.html
Andrea Pirlo

Game , Intelligence , Understanding , Decision

“For me, Paul Scholes is on the same level as Ronaldo. The real Ronaldo, not Cristiano. I always thought he was a great player but after I played alongside him I realised he was Manchester United’s greatest player of all time. He did his talking on the pitch which I respected most.”

Paul Scholes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkBSmp4IhAE
Fabien Barthez

Time

“Maybe one small regret is that I never got to play with Paul Scholes - but I was never going to leave Barcelona and he was never going to leave Manchester United.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/xavi-only-regret-not-playing-7572289
Xavi

“Paul Scholes was always unbelievably talented. Quiet. And dirty. When he got his tackle right, it was a great tackle. But when he got it wrong, he could kill someone. He was so talented and a player I feel honoured to have played with.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25184865
David Beckham

Feeling

“Scholes was England’s best football player. It was impossible to take the ball from him, and he never mishit a pass. He did not belong on the left flank but that’s where we needed him most. He had played on the left in the qualifying campaign, and sometimes even at Manchester United.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/10426976/Sven-Goran-Erikssons-book-Paul-Scholes-was-Englands-best-football-player-but-was-held-back-by-asthma.html
Sven-Göran Eriksson

Football

“I remember when I played against Paul Scholes, from Manchester. And because he is a midfielder, and I am a midfielder, sometimes we would have to confront each other. He is not tall, he is not strong but he is clever. This is very difficult. To play against someone who is clever. And he was fantastic with the ball, clever how he passed the ball, clever how he would see you. That was interesting to talk about afterwards.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AofzmUFraro
Edu Gaspar

Strong

“Good enough to play for Brazil. I love to watch Scholes, to see him pass, the boy with the red hair and the red shirt.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8547825/Manchester-Uniteds-Paul-Scholes-lauded-by-players-and-coaches-around-the-world-after-announcing-retirement.html
Sócrates

Love , Making love , Boy

“United always had many amazing players, but whenever we faced them we were always, always, always scared of what Paul Scholes could do. Ask anyone from that old Arsenal team, they will tell you the same. If you let him play, he can kill you, and for me he was so underrated. The way he plays: one touch, arriving late into the box, the way he strikes the ball, his vision, his passing. Incredible. I know people used to give him some stick for his tackling, but I liked that. He put his foot in, showed some character, had a go, but I liked that about him too. For me he is one of the best midfielders I have ever seen.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/henry-i-was-scared-of-incredible-scholes
Thierry Henry

Way , Box , People

“Nobody else in the world can play the way Scholes does. The passes he produces all over the field and the way he changes the game is brilliant. Every manager would like him. But luckily he is here and playing with us. Paul practices that all the time. When he has finished training he always goes out and shoots.”

Paul Scholes

http://cantheyscore.com/2011/05/31/paul-scholes-50-quotes-that-define-a-legend/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportBullet%2Ffeed+%28Sport+Bullet%29&utm_content=Google+UK
Dimitar Berbatov

Time , Game , Way , World

“I’m more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week…Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I’ve ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him.”

Paul Scholes

http://redflagflyinghigh.com/2011/05/blogs/scholes-tribute-the-worlds-top-players-on-the-ginger-prince/2
Eiður Guðjohnsen

Football

“It’s a shame he’s not available to play for England. If he was, he’d be the first name in my squad.”

Paul Scholes

http://redflagflyinghigh.com/2011/05/blogs/scholes-tribute-the-worlds-top-players-on-the-ginger-prince/2
Fabio Capello

“Scholes is the best i’ve played with and he helped me a lot when I was young. He’s amazing.”

Paul Scholes

http://redflagflyinghigh.com/2011/05/blogs/scholes-tribute-the-worlds-top-players-on-the-ginger-prince
Cristiano Ronaldo

Help

“Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes – he is the best midfielder of his generation. I would have loved to have played alongside him.”

Paul Scholes

http://redflagflyinghigh.com/2011/05/blogs/scholes-tribute-the-worlds-top-players-on-the-ginger-prince
Pep Guardiola

Love , Making love

“I just love Paul Scholes. He’s been the best footballer in our division for the last ten years. He’s a a wonderful player. If they get hold of him and stop him from playing I think Chelsea will beat them.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/6395/0/exclusive-%E2%80%93-wilkins-%E2%80%98chelsea-will-beat-united-if-they-stop-scholes%E2%80%99
Ray Wilkins

Love , Thinking , Football , Making love

“When he passes the ball it stays passed. The ball goes exactly where he wants it to. I have always loved him for that. I played against him once or twice and he is an absolute genius. He is a role model for anyone who wants to play football. He is a joy to watch. In fact, I wish he was 21, then I could see his career all over again.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/26/2324153/manchester-united-veteran-paul-scholes-admits-he-doesnt-know
Ian Holloway, 2011

Love , Joy , Football , Making love

“There is no doubt for me that Paul Scholes is still in a class of his own. He’s almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play. You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get. One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Zinedine-Zidane-has-admitted-not-playing-with-Paul-Scholes-is-one-of-the-biggest-regrets-of-his-career-article560373.html
Zinedine Zidane, August 2010

Football

“Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes. He knows how to do everything, and he is one who directs the way his team plays. On top of that, he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor.”

Paul Scholes

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/22/paul-scholes-tributes-600-games-manchester-united
Thierry Henry, World Cup winning France forward

Way

“He is one of the top three to five players to have ever played in the Premier League - his passing, movement and technique set examples to everyone, not just younger players.”

Paul Scholes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8922460.stm
Alan Hansen, 2010