Paul Scholes

Profile Football Stars | Paul Scholes | 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. Scholes has made 689 appearances for United, the third highest number of appearances by any player for the club. Scholes Officially Announced his retirement from playing duties on 31 May 2011 and began his coaching career at the club from the 2011-12 season onward. Scholes reversed this decision on 8 January 2012, to play for the club until the end of the 2011-12 season. Scholes was born at Hope Hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, to parents Stewart and Marina Scholes. Scholes also excelled at cricket. At age 14, he began training with Manchester United.

Scholes was not a member of Manchester United's 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning squad That included future senior teammates David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, but he was part of the youth team That reached the final in the following season, alongside Phil Neville. Scholes turned professional on 23 July 1993 and was issued with the number 24 shirt, but did not the make his breakthrough into the senior squad until the 1994-95 season, when he made seventeen league appearances and scored five goals. His debut came on 21 September 1994, where he scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Port Vale in the Football League Cup. His league debut three days later came against Ipswich Town at Portman Road, a game the which United lost 3-2 and Scholes scored a Consolation goal. He scored two league goals came on 10 December when United beat QPR 3-2 at Loftus Road.

In 2001-02, Manchester United completed the signing of Argentine international Juan Sebastian Veron. In order to accommodate Scholes and Veron, Ferguson persisted with the 4-4-1-1 formation, the which saw Scholes playing at the Withdrawn striker role behind Ruud van Nistelrooy and Veron as Roy Keane played in central midfield. In European away fixtures, Scholes was played in central midfield Often Veron as Keane anchored alongside. Scholes netted a career-high twenty goals in all competitions in the 2002-03 season, a number That dipped to fourteen the next year. This was Despite a career-best four FA Cup goals, in comparison to his total of five FA Cup goals scored in his first nine seasons.

On 8 January 2012, Scholes reversed his decision to retire Because of the injury crisis in the Manchester United squad and made his return as a substitute during a 3-2 win, against neighbors Manchester City in the FA Cup. On 8 April he scored in a 2-0 win against Queens Park Rangers at Old Trafford, Manchester United's Helping to go eight points clear of rivals Manchester City in the Premier League.  On 30 May, Scholes signed a one-year extension with Manchester United, keeping him at the club until 2013.

Scholes made his international debut against South Africa in 1997 in a 2-1 friendly win at Old Trafford, and was included in the England squad for the 1998 World Cup. During England's first World Cup group match against Tunisia, Scholes sealed a 2-0 victory with a goal late in the game.
On 27 March 1999, Scholes managed a hat-trick for England in a game against Poland. In Addition, Scholes scored both goals in England's 2-0 win at Hampden Park over Scotland in the Euro 2000 play-off first leg, sealing a 2-1 aggregate win and qualification for the finals tournament. With the turn of the century, Scholes Became a prominent player in England's midfield, Becoming a first-choice selection for the 2002 World Cup. Scholes Announced his retirement from international football in August 2004, citing his family life and his club career with Manchester United as being more important.

Personal information
Full name Paul Scholes
Date of birth 16 November 1974 (age 37)
Place of birth Salford, Greater Manchester, England
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position Midfielder

Club information
Current club Manchester United
Number 22

Youth career
Manchester United 1991-1993

Senior career
years Team
1993-2011 Manchester United 466 (102)
2012-Manchester United 16 (4)

National team
1993 England U18 3 (0)
1997-2004 England 66 (14)

Honours

Club
Manchester United
     Premier League (10): 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000,
     2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11
     FA Cup (3): 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04
     Football League Cup (2): 2008-09, 2009-10
     FA Community Shield (5): 1996, 1997, 2003, 2008, 2010
     UEFA Champions League (2) :1998-99, 2007-08
     Intercontinental Cup (1): 1999
     FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008

England
     1997 Tournoi de France
     UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship: 1993

Individual
     Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year (1): 1992-93
     Premier League Player of the Month (4): January 2003,
     December 2003, October 2006, August 2010
     PFA Team of the Year (2): 2002-03, 2006-07
     Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992-93 to 2001-02):
     Domestic & Overall Team of the Decade
     English Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2008