The top 50 greatest Manchester United players of all time have been ranked – and Cristiano Ronaldo may not be where you’d expect.
The Red Devils are one of world football’s most successful clubs, with 20 Premier League/First Division titles to their name.
To add to their domestic triumphs, they boast three European Cup/Champions League crowns following their successes in 1968, 1999 and 2008.
Throughout their history, United have played host to some of the best footballers of all time.
But when ranking United’s greatest players in 2021, the Manchester Evening News (MEN) put a certain winger above the rest.
The player was listed ahead of the likes of George Best and Ronaldo in the list – which is below.
50. David Herd (1961-68)
49. Teddy Sheringham (1997-2001)
48. George Wall (1906-1915)
47. Stan Pearson (1935-1954)
46. Harry Gregg (1957-1966)
45. Paddy Crerand (1963-1971)
44. Jaap Stam (1998-2001)
43. Paul Ince (1989-1995)
42. Dwight Yorke (1998-2002)
41. Billy Meredith (1906-1921)
40. Johnny Carey (1936-1953)
39. Brian Kidd (1967-1974)
38. Brian McClair (1987-1998)
37. Arthur Albiston (1974-1988)
36. Michael Carrick (2006-2018)
35. Sammy McIlroy (1971-1982)
34. Andy Cole (1995-2001)
33. Alex Stepney (1966-1978)
32. Edwin van der Sar (2005-2011)
31. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (1996-2007)
30. Gary Pallister (1989-1998)
29. Nobby Stiles (1960-1971)
28. Norman Whiteside (1982-1989)
27. Steve Bruce (1987-1996)
26. Martin Buchan (1972-1983)
25. Mark Hughes (1980-1986, 1988-1995)
24. Dennis Viollet (1953-1962)
23. Nemanja Vidic (2006-2014)
22. Ruud van Nistelrooy (2001-2006)
21. Jack Rowley (1937-54)
20. Bill Foulkes (1950-1970)
19. Denis Irwin (1990-2002)
18. David Beckham (1993-2003)
17. Rio Ferdinand (2002-2014)
16. Tommy Taylor (1953-1958)
15. Roger Byrne (1951-1958)
14. David de Gea (2011-2023)
13. Gary Neville (1992-2011)
12. Peter Schmeichel (1991-1999)
11. Bryan Robson (1981-1994)
10. Roy Keane (1993-2005)
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (2003-2009, 2021-2022)
8. Wayne Rooney (2004-2017)
7. Eric Cantona (1992-1997)
6. Duncan Edwards (1953-58)
5. Paul Scholes (1993-2011, 2012-2013)
4. Denis Law (1962-1973)
3. Bobby Charlton (1956-1973)
2. George Best (1963-1974)
1. Ryan Giggs (1987-2014)
Ryan Giggs scored a stunning goal during the FA Cup final in 1999 (Credit:Getty)
Giggs spent 24 years at Old Trafford, racking up a record 963 games and securing 13 Premier League medals in the process.
Fans will remember him for various reasons, but his slaloming run against Arsenal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park will live long in the memory of the Red Devils’ supporters.
Although, comparing 50 players who play in different positions is difficult, putting Ronaldo below Giggs may raise a few eyebrows.
However, a 24-year body of work arguably outweighs the eight seasons that the Portuguese spent at the club.
Giggs even took the reins at Old Trafford when he was a short-term caretaker manager achieving a record of two wins, a draw and a defeat in the final four games of the 2013–14 season following the departure of David Moyes.
