Nicky Butt Praises Zidane's Admiration for Paul Scholes

During his impressive 20-year career at Manchester United, Paul Scholes let his football skills speak for themselves, avoiding the spotlight.

By the time he retired in 2013, Scholes had played alongside iconic teammates like David Beckham, Roy Keane, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, one legendary player he never had the chance to partner with is Zinedine Zidane, the French World Cup champion. Zidane has often highlighted Scholes' impact on the game, placing him above all other midfielders from Old Trafford.

Nicky Butt on Zinedine Zidane’s admiration of Paul Scholes

Zidane, universally recognized as one of the greatest footballers, has praised Scholes for his versatility, calling him a ‘complete midfielder’ and naming him his toughest opponent. Such high regard from Zidane has left Scholes' former teammate, Nicky Butt, quite impressed.

"Scholesy was a phenomenal footballer and when people of that ilk say things like that about you, it’s not just some s**t player, is it?" Butt commented. "He’s probably one of the best midfielders ever to play the game, and it’s not just Zidane who said it; other players have acknowledged this too. Scholesy was truly one of the best."

Despite the accolades, Scholes remains humble. "A lot of people have told me he said that, although I don’t think there’s any proof of it?" he remarked. "It’s nice, of course, when people like that say things. Zidane was probably the best player we ever played against."

“If people say nice things about you, it can be embarrassing at times, but it’s lovely to hear.”

The Good, The Bad & The Football with Scholes, Butt, and McGuinness is a new weekly video podcast, available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.