There are few players more spoilt for choice than Ryan Giggs when it comes to the naming of their greatest ever teammate.
Being a part of Manchester United sides that won 13 Premier Leagues, four FA Cups and two Champions Leagues lets you know in no uncertain terms that Giggs played alongside some of the greatest footballers ever to lace their boots.
Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville are just six that immediately spring to mind but none of those were selected when the Welshman was asked to name his greatest teammate.
That honour was bestowed upon a Portuguese winger by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo who scored 119 goals in 282 appearances for the Red Devils during his five year stint at Old Trafford.
“People forget he had a difficult start, but he did – and still does – everything he can to be the best,” said Giggs of Ronaldo. “He’s an unbelievable athlete and player – the best I played with.
“He was really good to have around the dressing room – until you needed the mirror. First, it was Becks, who sat there, and, when Cristiano came, he replaced Becks next to the mirror. So, you could forget it if you wanted to use the mirror – you’d have to wait!”
Alex Ferguson agrees with Giggs, as he too named Ronaldo as the best player he had the pleasure of working with at United.
But for all the admiration that Fergie had for the tricky talent signed from Sporting Lisbon, he was not the one player who never felt the force of the Scot’s famous hairdryer treatment.
That carte blanche remained in Cantona’s pocket, as Giggs revealed that the outspoken Frenchman never found himself in Ferguson’s bad books.
“Eric got away with murder – he never got the hairdryer,” Giggs continued.
“We’d go to a black-tie do, my tie wouldn’t be straight or Nicky Butt’s top button undone and he’d rip into us.
“The next minute Eric would walk in with a white linen suit and red trainers and Sir Alex would turn to us and say, ‘Look at that – that’s style!'”
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