I am not a man of many words, but I can honestly say that playing football is all I have ever wanted to do and to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour. This was not a decision that I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing. To have been part of the team that helped the Club reach that 19th title is a great privilege.

Paul Scholes

Categorized in : Football Real Team

Yes I am finally hanging up my boots for good.

Paul Scholes

boots

I don't like compliments. No. I prefer criticisms; prefer to prove them wrong

Paul Scholes

prove-them-wrong criticism compliment

I dont like compliments. I prefer criticism..then I can prove those people wrong.

Paul Scholes

criticism people compliment

When it's over I just want to be able to look in the mirror and say, 'Well, you were a half-decent player.'

Paul Scholes

mirrors player want

Get up. Go to work. Play the game. Get showered. Go home.

Paul Scholes

games play home

Winning the Ballon d’Or never bothered me. I just wanted to play for Manchester United.

Paul Scholes

manchester-united winning play

At every opportunity, I wanted to play football.

Paul Scholes

play opportunity football

I think about the great players with whom I have shared a pitch: Eric Cantona, Zinedine Zidane, Pirlo, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo - and the greatest of them all is Messi.

Paul Scholes

cristiano-ronaldo player thinking

I am not a man of many words, but I can honestly say playing football is all I have ever wanted to do.

Paul Scholes

wanted football men

I am not ashamed to admit that in the games against Barcelona I spent a lot of the time just hoping he would take up positions as far away from me as possible. Elusive is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi's style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then - blink - he has gone, only to reappear somewhere else in space, with the ball.

Paul Scholes

eye spring thinking

Nobody has ever had to go off following one of my tackles and nobody has broken their leg.

Paul Scholes

legs following broken

There have been so many outstanding players I've had as team-mates, but if I had to choose I'd choose Giggsy, he can do anything.

Paul Scholes

outstanding team player

Playing against Messi, as I've said before, is as tough a test of your concentration as any in football. At any moment, he can take the mickey out of you. Physically, it is demanding, but mentally even more so. You cannot switch off.

Paul Scholes

moment you tough football

I don't know why anyone would want to be a goalkeeper. It is a hard position to do well.

Paul Scholes

goalkeeper know hard want

Let me be clear: I am sick of having to criticise the club which I gave my life to as a footballer.

Paul Scholes

i-am my-life me life

I played for 20 years for Sir Alex Ferguson, and he could be a scary man.

Paul Scholes

he man scary years

Pirlo is a cool customer who does things in his own time. On the pitch, he just looks so relaxed, no matter what is going on around him. He is one of those greats who looks like he could run a midfield with a glass of red wine in one hand.

Paul Scholes

cool red wine time

Peter Schmeichel could make the goal look much smaller when you glanced up to hit a shot.

Paul Scholes

make look up you

That is the issue with signing young players from other big European football nations - at some point, they will want to go home.

Paul Scholes

will go home football

Sometimes fear can bring performances out from you.

Paul Scholes

bring you fear sometimes