Jun 9

Jun 9 The 5 Best Manchester United Players of All Time

Arslan Shaheen

Opinion

The Top 5 Manchester United Players of All Time

Manchester United may not be scaling the heights of yesteryear but, by any measure, the Red Devils are still one of England’s biggest football clubs.

And over the years, Old Trafford has seen countless greats come and go, their brilliance living on in all of our memories.

A statue of George Bets, Dennis Law and Bobby Charlton outside Old Trafford, Manchester.

From their first league title in 1907, United have been one of the most talked-about clubs in the world and the best supporters too, regularly selling out Old Trafford and every stadium they play in.

With all this glory, plenty of fantastic footballers wore the red shirt- but who are the top 5 best Manchester United players of all time? I think ranking them is hard- nearly impossible, and we had a go at the best Utd Players of the Premier League era that certainly caused a stir.

It’s an extremely tough job, considering the extent of world-class players United has been blessed with. Here, we judge their longevity, legendary status, and pure quality.

Agree or disagree, this article is intended to spark debate, not end it!

1. Ryan Giggs (1987-2014)

Appearances: 932

Goals: 178

Assists: 266

Number one on our list of the top 5 best footballers in Manchester United history is Ryan Giggs. From his early days as a flying winger to his prevailing incarnation as a creative midfielder, Giggs has constantly reinvented himself to stay relevant to the changing game.

The Welsh left-midfielder was an astounding player to watch. Giggs was adored by the Stretford End supporters. He was an all-around machine. His creativity, pace, vision, composure, attacking fluency, and gameplay are just remarkable.

Giggs has been able to influence every game he has played since he started playing for Manchester United in 1987 at the age of fourteen. He controls the midfield and rips defences apart with his passes and runs.

Giggs has won a total of 13 Premier League titles, 2 Champions League titles, 4 FA Cups, and 4 English League Cup titles under Sir Alex Ferguson. And of course, his lethal ability granted him a confirmed first-team spot under Sir Alex.

Ryan Giggs, the flying wizard from Wales, boasts the most appearances in the Red Devil's history, with 932 from 1987-2014. The most loyal servant one could wish for, he spent his entire career at Old Trafford.

It is evident that the 47-year-old was in love with football, and watching him play makes you love it too. He is the living legend of Manchester United!

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2. Sir Bobby Charlton (1953-1973)

Appearances: 606

Goals: 199

Assists: 13

With the possible exception of Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby, is there another man who better embodies the qualities of Manchester United Football Club than Sir Bobby Charlton?

A survivor of the Munich Air Disaster, Sir Bobby Charlton is the dictionary definition of a club legend and a noble fragment of Old Trafford's Hall of Fame.

During 20 years of devoted service playing for the Red Devils, Charlton won 3 English League titles and the European Cup. With an illustrious career stretching from 1953-1973, Charlton was one of the finest footballers, and was a part of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup- this was also the year he also won the Ballon d’Or, the greatest individual award in football.

Manchester United fans were blessed with the opportunity to witness the English attacking midfielder’s vicious eye for scoring goals. With his instantly recognizable thunderbolt shot that inspired fear to opponents even 30 yards from the goal, and his signature agility, body swerve, and powerful tackling, Charlton was the epitome of speed and grace.

His unmatched modesty, sense of fair play, and gallant attitude made him the ultimate sporting hero, admired and respected by both his team and his rivals.

He is one of the most deeply respected, celebrated, and influential football ambassadors in the history of the game, and arguably the most naturally gifted English football player ever. Bobby Charlton was knighted in 1994 for his unmatchable contribution to football.

His lifelong friend, mentor, and manager Sir Matt Busby later said of Sir Bobby: “There has never been a more popular footballer. He was as near perfect as man and player as it is possible to be."

3. George Best (1963-1974)

Appearances: 361

Goals: 137

Assists: 9

The man every United number 7 is judged against, a true great of the world game, who penned thousands of mesmerising tales in United's history.

George Best was a real gem for Manchester United. He had a wonderful career at Old Trafford from 1963-1974. Best possessed a skillset never seen before and could do nearly everything needed from a forward.

George Best said,

“They’ll forget all the rubbish when I’ve gone and they’ll remember the football. If only one person thinks I’m the best player in the world, that’s good enough for me".

To merely describe Best as a ‘world great’ would be an unfair understatement of his skills. The Northern-Irish international had one of the silkiest touches in footballing history and could dribble like no other. However, Best was not just a football player- he was so much more.

Football had seen nothing like it.

Pace, poise, balance, control, and resilience- he danced around opponents in the glory days of Manchester United.

Best thrived alongside team-mates Bobby Charlton and Denis Law as United won the First Division title twice before landing the coveted European Cup in 1968- 10 years after the club had been devastated by the Munich air disaster.

There has never been a player with the same style and natural charisma as George Best. The winger was electric on the pitch, scoring the type of goals fans had never seen before. This Balon d'Or winner had everything a footballer could want.

With almost 390 appearances for the Red Devils, he is woven into the fabric of the club.

Sir Matt Busby harnessed the most skilful player ever seen in English football. Best could control the ball in a way others could not dream of, and he was feared by defenders.

He was a headline maker, league champion, European champion, Balon d'Or winner, European Footballer of the Year. He completed the Holy Trinity’s hat-trick of wins- the last Briton to win for a decade.

4. Paul Scholes (1991-2013)

Appearances: 728

Goals: 155

Assists: 81

Pass-master Paul Scholes is as unassuming as they come off the pitch. But then, he preferred to let his feet do the talking. The ginger wizard could pick out a teammate from just about anywhere with his incredible passing range.

Paul Scholes is one of the most gifted midfield players England has ever produced. He was a benchmark for attacking midfielders: outstanding vision, surpassing playmaking ability, creativity, engaging skillset, tremendous composure, and excellent long-range striking.

He was a creative threat who loved to get forward, especially early in his career.

Add to that his willingness to battle for victory- not always within the boundaries of the law- and Scholes was the one United player every opposing fan wanted in their team.

Like fellow academy graduate Ryan Giggs, Scholes was a one-club man, making 728 appearances for Manchester United and scoring 155 goals between 1991 and 2013.

This modest gentleman from Oldham won 11 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, as well as 2 Champions League titles and a FIFA Club World Cup. He had a well-decorated and coveted career at Old Trafford.

Scholes was a charismatic part of Manchester United's history. A man who cares about the club and football- a legend.

5. Wayne Rooney (2004-2017)

Appearances: 559

Goals: 253

Assists: 148

England’s leading goal scorer at the international level holds the most prestigious position of Manchester United’s top goalscorer, with 253 goals in 559 appearances across all competitions.

Signed from Everton in 2004 for a fee worth £26.5m, Rooney was pivotal as United ended Arsenal’s Invincibles era before it took hold of English football. From the moment he joined as an 18-year-old, he was always destined to enter the pantheon of Manchester United greats.

Starting as he meant to go on, scoring a hat-trick, and providing an assist on debut against Fenerbahce, aged just 18. In his early days, he was nicknamed several times: "Wazza", "the new Pele", "the white Pele", and "the Wonder Boy" due to his marvellous abilities.

He adapted to life at Old Trafford quickly, winning major honours in six of his first seven seasons at the club. All domestic trophies were snapped up, as well as the Europa League when United beat Ajax in 2016.

He went on to win every honour with United, and eclipsed Sir Bobby Charlton's long-standing goalscoring record, ending with a tally of 253 goals for the club.

Rooney was a creative, energetic forward who combined technical skill with strength and physicality, while also excelling in the air despite being 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) tall. He was a versatile attacker, capable of playing anywhere along the front line; although his preferred role was as a striker.

A prolific goal scorer in his prime at Manchester United, Rooney was a powerful striker and an accurate finisher. He was praised for his work rate and stamina by players, managers, and the media- and was highly regarded for his dedication and willingness to press opponents when possession had been lost in order to win back the ball and start attacking plays.

His game-playing abilities were praised numerous times by many greats like Marcelo Lippi, Arsene Wenger, Gareth Southgate, Steven Gerrard, and David Beckham. And without a doubt, Wayne Rooney is one of the greatest forwards in United history.