Patrick Vieira: “The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy. Scholes.”
Darren Fletcher: “We won’t ever see another one like Paul Scholes. He is a legend and a real benchmark. He is not interested in the modern-day footballer’s life off the pitch, but he is a world-class player on it”
Cesc Fabregas: “He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League.”
Zinedine Zidane: “Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation.”
Phil Neville: “Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England’s key player. For me, he doesn’t get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo.”
Nicky Butt: “In my opinion he’s up there with the top three or four players to play for United.”
Luis Figo: “I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.”
Edgar Davids: “I’m not the best, Paul Scholes is.”
Ryan Giggs: “I have played with some great players during my time at United but I would have to put Paul Scholes down as the best.”
Michael Carrick: “Paul Scholes is just fantastic. When you play alongside him, you realise what a special talent he is.”
Thierry Henry: “I can’t understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t seek the limelight like some of the other stars.”
Ronaldinho: “I want to pass like him. Who taught him how to do that?”
Wayne Rooney: “The best I’ve played with, no question. His touch, passing, vision, composure is outstanding. I try to copy him.”
Roy Keane: “No celebrity bullshit, no self promotion, an amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being.”
Xabi Alonso: “I’ve still got Paul Scholes’ shirt at home which I swapped with him once. When I was at Liverpool he was one of the players I liked most. Maybe he’s not valued as much as he should be in England because of the style of football there and because he keeps a low profile. Perhaps he would have been more valued in Spain, where midfielders like him form part of the ‘ideal.’ Fans in Spain rate him very highly and I admire him a huge amount.”
Denis Bergkamp: “He’s the master.”
Ryan Giggs: “I’d go for Scholesy as the club’s greatest ever player. I’ve seen him do things that no other player can do. The way he can control the tempo of games, and his range of passing, are both incredible. We’ve seen over the years that players just haven’t been able to get near him. And you can’t forget his goals either.”
kupitia hapa, mimi ni nani had nisiseme?
Paulo ni mtu hatar zaid kuwah kucheza mpira
Pirlo : 'Carlo (Ancelotti) was like a father to me. We used to, and still do speak a lot,' Pirlo said. 'While at Milan he came to me and said "I want to sign Steven Gerrard to play next to you in midfield - what do you think?" 'Without any hesitation I told him "do it - go and sign him". At this stage he was probably the most complete midfield player in Europe, of course I wanted to partner him.' 'I remember asking Carlo a few weeks later how it was going, and he told me Gerrard had given a very firm no, that his bond with Liverpool was unbreakable. 'At the time Milan were the champions of Europe and probably had the best team in the world - it says a lot about Gerrard's loyalty.'
Zidane : "I have said in the past that at his peak he was the best in the world," said the 42-year-old. "I think it was the summer of 2004 I was having a conversation with Florentino (Perez) and I told him I wanted him to partner me in midfield for Madrid. "I know the club tried twice but he wouldn't leave Liverpool. Not many players turn down Real Madrid but I think that tells you a lot about the loyalty of the man."
gary neville "Steven Gerrard is undoubtedly a world-class player and I wish he'd played for United. 'Come play for United,' I said one day to Steven when we were in the hotel. 'The fans will take to you in no time.' He just laughed, and said: 'I'll do it if you go to Anfield.'" (January 2011)
SAF : "He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. More than Vieira. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but I think that Gerrard does more for his team than Vieira does, and has way more to his game. I've watched him quite a lot. To me, Gerrard is Keane. Everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there. He's got that unbelievable engine, desire, determination. Anyone would love to have Gerrard in their team." (May 2004)
zidane: "Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of Messi and Ronaldo but, yes, I think he just might be. If you don't have a player like Steven Gerrard, who is the engine room, it can affect the whole team. He has great passing ability, can tackle and scores goals, but most importantly, he gives the players around him confidence and belief. You can't learn that - players like him are just born with that presence." (March 2009)
kaka : "England have always had individually strong players and I am a huge fan of Stevie Gerrard. He has the heart of a lion and is the icon of the modern footballer with his ability to attack and defend so well. He is the world's most complete modern player." (November 2009)
ancelotti : "He is the complete midfielder. He can be a holding midfielder; he has fantastic shots, passes and skills. When I played, there were players like Giancarlo Antognoni and Rainer Bonhof but today Gerrard, full stop." (November 2010)