Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes (/ˈpɔːl ˈskoʊlz/; born 16 November 1974) is a retired English footballer who played his entire professional career for Manchester United and is currently co-owner of Salford City. He is the most decorated English footballer of all time, and one of the most successful footballers in history, having won a total of 25 trophies, featuring 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League titles.

Born in Salford and raised in Langley from infancy, Scholes excelled in both cricket and football while at school. He first trained with Manchester United at the age of 14 after being spotted by a scout visiting his school, signing for them as an apprentice on leaving school in 1991, and turning professional in 1993. He made his full debut for United in the 1994–95 season. Scholes represented the England national team from 1997 to 2004, gaining 66 caps and participating in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, as well as the UEFA Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 tournaments. Over his career, he has received praise from other managers and players, including Xavi, who called him "the best central midfielder I've seen in the last 15, 20 years". Thierry Henry has cited Scholes as the greatest player in Premier League history. However, Scholes has also been criticised for his disciplinary record, amassing the fourth-most yellow cards in Premier League history with 97, and the most yellow cards in Champions League history with 32.