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TL;DR — Scholes is possibly the best midfielder in Premier League history
Paul Scholes’s career spanned one of the most successful periods in Manchester United’s history. Since the inception of the Premier League in the 1992-1993 season, Manchester United have won a record 13 titles. Scholes was part of 11 of those titles, including the most recent victory in 2012-2013. He also helped the team to win the UEFA Champions League twice, in 1998-1999 and 2007-2008.
Undoubtedly Scholes played in a number of excellent teams and his honours reflect this. Yet, his statistics do not reflect the truly complete midfielder he was. 107 goals and 55 assists are of course impressive but Scholes was perhaps the most technically sound midfielder of his generation.
[Two quotations] (https://www.planetfootball.com/nostalgia/theres-admire-paul-scholes-sublime-technique/) give an indication of just how good Scholes was:
“Paul Scholes is a role model. For me – and I really mean this – he’s the best central midfielder I’ve seen in the last 15, 20 years” – Xavi Hernandez.
“My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation – Zinedine Zidane.
Both Xavi and Zidane are in the conversation for the best midfielder ever and yet they view Scholes as the best. Whilst perhaps not the player who grabs attention on the stats sheets or highlights every week, Scholes’s fingerprints could be found on any United victory. His sublime technique meant he could score goals from anywhere but also pick out the perfect pass with ease. That is the essence of Scholes. The opposing team always had to account for him whenever he was on the pitch.
The brilliance of Scholes is undeniable and his longevity cements his legacy.
Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Bryan Robson? Who else would compete?
TL;DR: Scholes only played under the greatest Manchester United manager
Paul Scholes was undoubtedly part of one of the most successful Manchester United teams but that does not mean to say he is or was their best ever player.
He played under one of the best football managers to ever exist is Sir Alex Furguson. Not only this but Scholes played with other players such as Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona. His success is no doubt related to the quality team that surrounded him.
In a team of less talent such as the England national team, he failed to win any major honours. If he was truly a great player he would have been able to transfer his club success onto the international stage.
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