Manchester United has won more Premier League titles than any other team. The Reds have won 13 of the 28 seasons played so far. But Manchester also leads the league’s historic table in terms of most wins, most goals scored and most points. Here bestsoccertips share the best player on Manchester United of all time who have contributed significantly to the team’s achievements!
Who is the best player on manchester united?
1. Ryan Giggs (1987-2014)
In 1987, Welsh player Ryan Giggs joined United as a schoolboy, embarking on a journey that led to a record 963 appearances, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, and four FA Cups. Giggs was offered his first professional contract on November 29, 1990, the day he turned 17. He made his debut in the first half, replacing the injured Denis Irwin, in a match against Everton in March 1991. United lost the match 2-0.
Ryan Giggs scored his first goal in his debut tournament match against Man City in a 1-0 victory for United at Old Trafford two months later. It marked the beginning of his 672 appearances for the Red Devils (Division One and Premier League), including 117 substitute appearances. Ryan Giggs made 632 appearances in the Premier League, the most in the league’s history. Giggs scored in all but one of his 22 seasons with the first team—although he made 22 appearances in his final campaign (2013/14), he couldn’t find the net.
2. George Best (1963-1974)
George Best was a Northern Irish footballer best known for his years at Manchester United. He was a winger known for his combination of speed, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goal-scoring ability, and ability to beat defenders. In 1968, he won the European Cup with Manchester United and was honored as the European Footballer of the Year. While physically fit, he was an automatic choice for the Northern Ireland team, but he couldn’t lead them to participate in the FIFA World Cup.
George Best made his debut for Manchester United at the age of 17 on September 14, 1963, against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in a 1-0 victory. Best scored his first goal against Burnley two weeks later. By the end of the season, Best had scored 6 goals, and Manchester United finished second, behind champions Liverpool. In the second season, 1964-65, Best and Manchester United won the championship. Best made headlines at the age of 20 when he scored two goals in the quarter-final of the European Cup against Benfica in 1966, earning the nickname “El Beatle” from the press.
3. Bobby Charlton (1956-1973)
Widely known as one of the greatest attacking midfielders in world football, Bobby Charlton helped United win three domestic championships, FA Cups, and the club’s first European Cup in 1968. A legend of Old Trafford, Bobby Charlton made his League debut for United in a 4-2 victory over Charlton Athletic at Old Trafford in October 1956 and it was his outstanding service to the Old Trafford club where he was still playing well into his thirties in the early 1970s.
Bobby Charlton received runner-up medals in consecutive FA Cup finals in 1957 and 58 and it wasn’t until 1963 that he received another winning medal as the Red Devils overcame Leicester City 3-1 to clinch a hard-fought FA Cup. Honors and awards seemed to flow back to Charlton thereafter as United claimed League titles in 1965 and ’67 and in between times he picked up the prestigious Footballer of the Year and European Footballer of the Year awards.
Bobby Charlton’s illustrious career at United, spanning no less than 17 years, saw him score a club record 199 League goals in 606 appearances. Above all, he was United’s most capped player and his 49 goals made him England’s all-time leading scorer alongside Gary Lineker. His immense popularity was such that a notable crowd of 60,538 turned out to pay tribute to their hero in his testimonial against Celtic in 1972. Bobby Charlton will be remembered not only as a great footballer but also as a great sporting ambassador.
4. Denis Law (1962-1973)
DAt the age of 22, Denis Law joined Manchester United in August 1962. He was brought to Old Trafford by Sir Matt Busby, who had handed him his Scotland debut nearly 4 years earlier. United paid a then-British record transfer fee of £115,000 to secure his services from Torino, marking the third time Denis Law had been the holder of that accolade, having become the first £100,000 player in 1961 when he moved to the Italian side from Manchester City.
His first game at Old Trafford quickly endeared Denis as a fan favorite and the following season would see Law endear himself further to the United faithful with a remarkable return of 46 goals in just 42 appearances across all competitions. His goal-scoring exploits significantly improved United’s league standing from the previous season, and they finished runners-up, four points behind champions Liverpool. Denis Law’s performances in the following season propelled United to the First Division title, and in the process, the Scotsman claimed the European Footballer of the Year award for 1964.
5. Paul Scholes (1991-2013)
Paul Scholes, born on November 16, 1974, in Salford, Greater Manchester, is a retired English footballer and current football coach. Scholes played his entire career for Manchester United and is the club’s third-highest appearance-maker, totaling over 700 appearances. He is regarded as one of the finest club-level footballers and is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time by many experts.
This midfielder began his career with Manchester United in 1991 and was a mainstay in the club’s professional team from 1994 to 2011. On May 31, 2011, Scholes announced his retirement, but he returned the following season on January 8, 2012, against Manchester City in the FA Cup and ultimately ended his career at the end of the season in May 2013.
6. Duncan Edwards (1953-1958)
Duncan Edwards, an English footballer, played for both Manchester United and the England national team. Signing for Manchester United as a teenager, he became the youngest player to play in the First Division of English football and the youngest English player since the Second World War to make 18 appearances for his country at the highest level. In a professional career spanning less than 5 years, he contributed to United’s success, helping them secure two Football League championships, two FA Charity Shields, and reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup.
Duncan Edwards was one of the players for the Busby Babes, United’s young team formed under the management of coach Matt Busby, playing 177 games for the club. He was noted for his athleticism, versatility, and commanding presence on the field, and is regarded as one of the toughest players of all time. One of the eight players who perished in the Munich air disaster, he initially survived but succumbed to injuries two weeks later. Many of his contemporaries described him as one of, if not the greatest player they had ever played with.
7. Eric Cantona (1992-1997)
Eric Cantona’s time at Manchester United may have been relatively short, but it was long enough to secure his place in the club’s history. In 5 years, he won 4 Premier League titles and 2 FA Cups with the club – despite an 8-month ban for his infamous kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park. Cantona made his debut for Man United against Manchester City in December 1992, coming on as a substitute in the second half. United won 2-1 thanks to goals from Paul Ince and Mark Hughes. Despite a disappointing start to the season, five months later, United clinched their first title in over two decades.
Sir Alex Ferguson signed Cantona from Leeds United in 1992 to address United’s goal-scoring issues. Cantona scored his first goal in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in December 1992, the first of 82 goals he scored for United. Having arrived from Leeds in 1992, Cantona turned out to be the final piece in United’s puzzle. In May 1993, they lifted their first league title in 26 years. That was the first of the 4 titles Cantona won in his 5 years at Old Trafford.
Winning the Premier League in 1994, Cantona scored two penalties against Chelsea at Wembley in the FA Cup final. Mark Hughes and Brian McClair also found the net as United won 4-0 to claim the double. Cantona featured in one of United’s most emphatic wins over Manchester City in November 1994.
8. Wayne Rooney (2004-2017)
Wayne Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004 from Everton as an emerging 18-year-old star with an initial transfer fee of £20 million and an additional £7 million in contingent payments, a record fee for a player under 20 at the time. Rooney made his first appearance for the Red Devils in a Champions League group stage clash with Turkish side Fenerbahce on September 28, 2004. It was a dream debut for the teenager as he scored a hat-trick in Manchester United’s 6-2 victory. The other three goals came from Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ryan Giggs, and David Bellion.
Wayne Rooney, the former England international, played 559 matches for the club, scoring 253 goals, making him the all-time leading goal-scorer for Manchester United. He is the sole player to have scored 250 goals for the Red Devils. Rooney, as captain, lifted his first trophy at the end of his second campaign with the armband, securing the FA Cup in May 2016 after a dramatic win against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (2003-2009)
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon for £12.24 million, making him the most expensive teenage signing in football history at the time. He was also the first Portuguese player to join the Red Devils. He won three Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy during his time at Manchester United. He also won his first Ballon d’Or while at the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo debuted for the club on August 16, 2003, in the opening Premier League match against Bolton Wanderers. His most outstanding season at United to date was the 2007/08 campaign, during which he scored a record-breaking 42 goals across all competitions, securing his first Champions League title alongside the Premier League and Community Shield victories. Additionally, he received the European Golden Shoe. In December 2008, Ronaldo clinched his first Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
10. Roy Keane (1993-2005)
Roy Keane, the Irish footballer, emerged as a central figure for Manchester United during their most successful period under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson. Arriving at United in the summer of 1993, Keane commanded a then-club record fee of £3.75 million, luring him away from Nottingham Forest. Interestingly, he came close to signing for Blackburn Rovers, an English top-flight team managed by Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, before ultimately joining United.
Keane made 480 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 51 goals – just over 1/10th, which is quite a decent average for a player increasingly operating deeper in midfield as his career progressed. He won six Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the Champions League, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1999. He was the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 2000. He was a vital piece that elevated the 1992/93 Premier League champions, inspired by Eric Cantona, into double winners, completing the undefeated 1993/94 season.
Conclude
Above are the top 10 best player on Manchester United that we would like to introduce to readers. In the pantheon of legends there are still many equally illustrious names, these are Roy Keane, David Beckham, Bryan Robson, Gary Neville, Jaap Stam, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Edwin Van der Sar,… It has all become a heroic part of Manchester United’s Red Devils.
