'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Sir Alex Ferguson is arguably the greatest football manager of all time. In a coaching career spanning over three decades, he won numerous trophies. The lion’s share of those trophies was won while he was in charge of Manchester United.
In an incredibly long tenure of 27 years, Ferguson won 38 titles for United including 13 Premier Leagues and 2 UEFA Champions Leagues.
Like all supremely successful managers, Ferguson was spot on with his tactics, instinctive with his substitutions and judicious with his signings. There were players like Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville who graduated from the Academy and went on to become United legends.
However, apart from them, Ferguson spotted talented young players, signed them and made them stars.
We take a look at eight of Ferguson’s best signings for United:
#8 Ruud Van Nistelrooy
The Dutch striker spent five seasons at United and scored an incredible 150 goals in 219 games. Those included vital goals against arch-rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, and a brilliant display in a 4-3 win against that great Real Madrid side in 2003.
Nistelrooy was primarily a poacher inside the box and did not contribute much otherwise, but his goal scoring ability was sufficient to make him a prized signing.
The striker won the PFA player of the year award in his inaugural season with United, and also won a Premier League title in the 2002-03 season.
His stint at Old Trafford coincided with the rise of Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and Arsenal's Invincibles, otherwise, he would have left with more silverware.
#7 Nemanja Vidic
Nemanja Vidic spent eight years at Old Trafford and during the majority of that period, he was among the best centre-backs in the world. His partnership with Rio Ferdinand was world-class and contributed immensely to United’s dominance in English football.
Ferguson signed Vidic from Spartak Moscow in 2006 and by the time he left United for Inter Milan in 2014, he had won five Premier Leagues and a Champions League with them.
Vidic was a great tackler and superb in the air. The Serbian had an intimidating presence in the penalty box and was a great man-marker. His anticipation and tackling made him win the Player of the Season award twice - which is no mean feat for a defender. He scored some vital goals with headers as well.
#6 Wayne Rooney
The greatest British striker of all time, Wayne Rooney was signed by Ferguson as a raw 19-year-old in 2004. He had already made his mark at Everton by that time, however, in United, he developed into a brilliant all-round player.
He scored 253 goals for United in 13 years and became the club’s highest goal scorer of all time.
Rooney’s goal tally for United would have increased if he had not sacrificed his original playing position to play in the midfield quite often. He performed very well in the midfield too, contributing consistently to the defence and playmaking.
Rooney won the PFA player of the year once, apart from winning five Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League title for United.
#5 Denis Irwin
Irwin was one of Ferguson’s earliest signings and also one of his best. This Irish left-back was one of the reasons behind United’s rise to becoming one of the leading football clubs in the world.
He spent 12 years at United and collected 7 Premier League trophies and a Champions League title. Ferguson signed him from Oldham Athletic in 1990 and throughout the 90s, Irwin contributed immensely toward United’s rise.
Irwin made very few mistakes defensively, made overlapping runs quite often and performed well in big matches. All those qualities made him an indispensable member of the side and nobody has been able to properly replace him at United since he left in 2002, though Patrice Evra, another great player recruited by Sir Alex, came close.
#4 Eric Cantona
“King Eric”, as he was fondly named by the United faithful, was the primary reason behind United’s rise in the 1990s. It was not a mere coincidence that he won the Premier League in his first season with United. The mercurial Frenchman was always involved in controversies but was an absolute champion.
Cantona played 185 matches for United, scored 82 goals and won 4 Premier Leagues in his 5 seasons at Old Trafford. He provided a lot of assists to Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole as well. He had the highest number of assists in the Premier League in the 1992-93 season.
His performances against Wimbledon in 1996 or Aston Villa in 1993 would always be etched in the memories of United supporters. His swagger and personality also added to the charm. Quite understandably, he was named in the English League’s Team of the Century.
#3 Roy Keane
The mercurial Roy Keane was signed by Ferguson in 1993 and went on to become the most important member of the side. He played 480 games for United and wore the Captain’s armband for a majority of his United career.
A leader on and off the pitch, Keane could play both as a box-to-box midfielder and a deep-lying defensive midfielder. He made vital interceptions in the midfield and nullified the attacking threats posed by the opposition, created moves high up in the pitch and had a good passing range.
His performance against Juventus in the 1999 Champions League semifinal is rated as one of the best individual performances by any footballer. He won the PFA Player of the Year in 2000, and after falling out with Ferguson and some of his other teammates and subsequently leaving the club in 2005, but he had firmly ensured his place in football’s Hall of Fame.
#2 Peter Schmeichel
“The Great Dane”, as Schmeichel was named by the supporters because of his large frame, was a pivotal figure in United’s success throughout the 1990s. The Danish goalkeeper was 6 feet 4 inches tall, weighed 100 kgs and had an imposing presence inside the penalty box. He was the impregnable wall that United’s oppositions found very difficult to breach.
Schmeichel was signed from Brondby FC in 1991, and before leaving United in 1999, he had won 5 Premier Leauge titles, 3 FA cups and 1 Champions League trophy. United could not have won the Champions League final against Bayern Munich if not for Schmeichel, who had guarded his goal like a man possessed.
His brilliant save against Newcastle United was named as the “save of the century.” He is one of the greatest goalkeepers the game has ever seen, without any doubt.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo was discovered by Sir Alex in a pre-season friendly against Sporting Lisbon. Ronaldo performed brilliantly for Sporting in that match and Ferguson took notice quickly.
The 19-year-old was signed by United and Ferguson took him under his wings. The uncut diamond was polished and honed at Old Trafford before it dazzled the world with its lustre.
Ronaldo spent 6 seasons at United from 2003 to 2009 and scored 118 goals in 292 matches. During the first few seasons, he played mainly on the wing and scored less. However, in the 2007-08 season, he notched up 42 goals and subsequently was given more attacking freedom. United won the Champions League in 2008 and Ronaldo was the lone goal scorer for them in the final against Chelsea.
He won 3 Premier League titles for United and was the recipient of the coveted Ballon d'Or in 2008. United made it to the Champions’ League final in 2009 too but lost to the great Barcelona side of Pep Guardiola.
Before he left United for Real Madrid in 2009 and went on to achieve even greater heights for the Spanish club, Ronaldo had cemented his place in English club football’s Hall of Fame and even the great George Best felt flattered when he was compared with the Portuguese superstar.
