Paul Scholes

Lore & Background

Scholes came through the Manchester United academy as one of Fergie's Fledglings. He made his full debut in the 1994–95 season. He went on to make 718 appearances for the club, the third-highest number of appearances by any player. He announced his retirement from playing in May 2011 and was appointed as a coach at Manchester United. He returned to playing in January 2012, and played one more season for the club before retiring again in May 2013. Scholes represented the England national team from 1997 to 2004, gaining 66 caps and participating in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Championships. He announced his retirement from international football in August 2004. Scholes' first managerial position was at Oldham Athletic, for 31 days in February and March 2019. In 2020, he had a short spell as interim manager of Salford City.

Reader's Guide

Scholes was born on 16 November 1974 in Salford, Greater Manchester. He is of Irish and Northern Irish descent. He attended St Mary's RC Primary School in Langley. At age 14, he began training with Manchester United.

He joined as a trainee upon leaving the Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton during the summer of 1991. His debut came on 21 September 1994, where he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over Port Vale in the League Cup. He scored 14 goals in all competitions in the 1995–96 season. In the 1998–99 season, he was a key player in Manchester United's treble success.

He scored one of Manchester United's two goals against Newcastle in the FA Cup final. He picked up a yellow card in the Champions League semi-final which ruled him out of the final. During the 1999–2000 season, he scored a hat-trick against West Ham United. He netted a career-high 20 goals in all competitions in the 2002–03 season.

He scored the winning goal in the 2003–04 FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal. He was ruled out for the second half of the 2005–06 season with blurred vision. On 22 October 2006, he became the ninth United player to play in 500 matches. He was included in the PFA Team of the Year for 2006–07.

He suffered knee ligament damage in October 2007 and was out until the end of January 2008. On 23 April 2008, he made his 100th Champions League appearance in a 0–0 draw away to Barcelona in the semi-final first leg, and scored the only goal in the second leg that sent United into the final. He was substituted in the 87th minute of the final and did not take part in the penalty shoot-out, which United won.

The One-Club Legend and Trophy Cabinet

Paul Scholes is defined by his loyalty to Manchester United, where he spent his entire professional career from 1993 to 2013. He made 718 appearances for the club, the third-highest number in its history, and scored over 150 goals. His trophy haul includes 25 major honors: 11 Premier League titles (a record for an English player), three FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was a key figure in the historic 1998–99 treble-winning season, scoring against Newcastle and Inter Milan before being suspended for the final. Scholes also won his last FA Cup medal in 2003–04 and played in the 2005 final, though he saw his penalty saved by Jens Lehmann in a shoot-out loss to Arsenal.

Technical Mastery and Evolution on the Pitch

Renowned for technical skills, accurate passing, intelligent movement, powerful long-range shooting, and goal-scoring ability, Scholes adapted his role multiple times. In 1997–98, he moved to central midfield following Roy Keane's knee injury. By 2001–02, under Ferguson's 4–4-1-1 system, he operated as a withdrawn striker behind Ruud van Nistelrooy. His career-high 20 goals in the 2002–03 season included a hat-trick against Newcastle. He scored one of his finest goals against Bradford City on 25 March 2000 and completed his first United hat-trick against West Ham a week later. Despite a career-threatening blurred vision issue in late 2005, he recovered to play until 2013.

International Service and Early Departure

Scholes represented the England national team from 1997 to 2004, earning 66 caps. His international tenure included participation in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Championships. In August 2004, he announced his retirement from international football at age 30, citing his family life and club career with Manchester United as priorities. This decision meant he did not participate in subsequent major tournaments, ending a seven-year international stint that saw him serve as a key creative force for the Three Lions.

Life Beyond Playing: Coaching and Management

After announcing his initial retirement from playing in May 2011, Scholes was immediately appointed as a coach at Manchester United. He returned to the pitch in January 2012, playing one final season before retiring permanently in May 2013. His post-playing career included a short managerial spell at Oldham Athletic for 31 days in February and March 2019, followed by an interim role as manager of Salford City in 2020. He also established himself as a football pundit, leveraging his deep understanding of the game gained from over two decades at the highest level.