Manchester United legend Roy Keane has named the quintet of “world-class” teammates he was privileged to share the field with during his tenure at the club.
Keane, the former Republic of Ireland standout, clocked up 480 appearances for United in his 13 seasons at Old Trafford under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson. With a trophy haul that includes seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and a Champions League, Keane played alongside an array of exceptional football talent.
In conversation with ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, Keane revealed his top five “world-class” teammates during his United career.
On Sky Sports, Keane shared, “We never indulged in discussions about world-class players during our time.
“But looking back now, Giggsy [Ryan Giggs] would definitely make the cut.
“I consider players world-class when they consistently deliver top performances for nine, ten, eleven years. Giggsy did it for much longer, and to me, that’s the essence of a truly outstanding player – consistency is key.
“Nowadays, players have a good run for a month and they’re already patting themselves on the back.
“To be truly great, you must consistently deliver year after year, and Giggsy exemplifies that.”
Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, and Mark Hughes also feature in Keane’s list of world-class companions, with Denis Irwin receiving special recognition.
Keane continued, “Imagine if Denis Irwin were playing today.
“He could hold his own at left-back, right-back, score goals, knew how to defend, was never injured, and was a fantastic presence in the dressing room.
“In my view, Denis would be classified as world-class – and he’s a fellow Corkman!”
