5 most decorated Manchester United players

Manchester United v Real Sociedad de Futbol - UEFA Champions League
Manchester United v Real Sociedad de Futbol - UEFA Champions League

Manchester United has been the biggest club in England and one of the biggest in Europe for a long time in their history. The Red Devils, as they are fondly referred to, have won every trophy on offer in football.

They have won the English Premier League more than any other club and remain one of only three English sides to produce a Ballon d'Or winner. The Red Devils have won the English Premier League 20 times, more than any other side in the history of the competition.

Manchester United have had some of the best players in the world

Manchester United have seen a good number of iconic players represent the club throughout its history. The Red Devils have boasted of legends like Sir Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law and George Best, among others. These players have achieved great success in the club and won lots of trophies as Manchester United players. So without further ado, here is a list of the five most decorated players in Manchester United history.


#5 Michael Carrick (18 titles)

Michael Carrick in action against Crystal Palace - The Emirates FA Cup Final
Michael Carrick in action against Crystal Palace - The Emirates FA Cup Final

Ex-England midfielder Michael Carrick was an important player for Manchester United for so long. The Englishman joined the Red Devils as a youngster and established himself as a key player for the side before his retirement.

Carrick signed for the Red Devils in 2006 after impressing during his time as a Tottenham Hotspur player. The midfielder joined as a direct replacement for Roy Keane, who had left the club a little while earlier. He also took on Keane's number 16 shirt at Old Trafford.

Carrick achieved great success in 12 years as a Red Devils. He is one of only two English players to win the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup and Community Shield.

Carrick won 18 titles in 12 years at Old Trafford, including five Premier League titles, one Champions League and one Europa League. He also won the Community Shield six times, FA Cup once, League Cup three times and FIFA Club World Cup once. The midfielder recently managed the club on an interim basis after Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer was fired.


#4 Denis Irwin (19 titles)

Dennis Irwin in action
Dennis Irwin in action

Retired Irish left-back Denis Irwin was described by Sir Alex Ferguson as pound-for-pound his greatest signing ever. The defender joined the Red Devils in 1990 from Oldham Athletic.

Irwin was a Manchester United player for 12 years before he left the club in 2002. The Irishman won 19 trophies in his time as a Red Devil, making him the joint most decorated Irish footballer in history along with Roy Keane.

Irwin won the Premier League seven times, the UEFA Champions League and League Cup once each, and the FA Cup three times. He won the Intercontinental Cup once, UEFA Cup Winners Cup once, UEFA Super Cup once and Community Shield four times.

#3 Paul Scholes (27 titles)

Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers - Premier League
Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers - Premier League

A member of the revered Class of '92 Manchester United players, Paul Scholes is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders to grace the Premier League. The Englishman played for the Red Devils throughout his professional career that spanned 20 years.

Scholes featured 719 times for Manchester United between 1993 and 2013, scoring 155 goals from midfield. The English midfielder was extremely technically gifted and had the ability to control games from his midfield position. Scholes won 27 titles in his time at Old Trafford. He won the English Premier League 11 times, UEFA Champions League twice, FA Cup four times and League Cup thrice. He also won the FIFA Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup once each, and the Community Shield five times.

Scholes retired in 2013 as a Premier League legend and icon after a long and successful career.


#2 Gary Neville (30 titles)

Liverpool v Manchester United
Liverpool v Manchester United

Another of the Class of '92 stalwarts, Gary Neville enjoyed a long and successful career at Manchester United. The full-back made 602 appearances for the Red Devils after rising through the ranks at the club.

Neville played alongside his younger brother Phil at Old Trafford and was captain of the club for five years. He made his debut for the Red Devils in 1992 and became their first-choice right-back in 1994. He remained at the club until his retirement in 2011, almost 20 years after his debut for the Red Devils.

The Englishman won 30 titles with the side, including 12 Premier League and two UEFA Champions League titles. He also won the FA Cup four times, League Cup thrice and Community Shield seven times. He won the FIFA Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup once each.

The Englishman tried his hand at management and was part of the Three Lions' backroom staff before a brief spell as Valencia manager.


#1 Ryan Giggs (35 titles)

Manchester United v Portsmouth - FA Community Shield
Manchester United v Portsmouth - FA Community Shield

The Premier League's ultimate one-club man, Welsh midfielder Ryan Giggs featured exclusively for Manchester United throughout his career. He played at Old Trafford till he was 41 years, making almost 1000 appearances for the club.

Giggs is the only Premier League player to play in 22 consecutive seasons and score in 21 of them consecutively. The wide midfielder made his debut for the club in 1991 as an 18-year-old, becoming a first-team regular while he still featured for the Youth Team. He is a member of the famed Class of '92, as well, as he captained the side to FA Youth Cup glory.

He won 35 titles as a Manchester United player before he retired in 2014. He won the English Premier League a record 13 times and UEFA Champions League twice. He won the FA Cup and League Cup four times each, and the Community Shield nine times. He also won the FIFA Club World Cup, Intercontinental Cup and UEFA Super Cup once each.

Giggs became a manager after his playing career and has managed the Red Devils and the Wales national team.

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Edited by S Chowdhury