Sir Alex Ferguson believes he worked with just four world class players in his time as Manchester United manager.
The Scot, whose new book Leading was published yesterday, guided the club to 13 Premier League and two Champions League titles during his 26 years at Old Trafford.
However for all those successful teams, Ferguson claims Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were the standout stars.
“They made the difference and the evidence is there,” he told the BBC’s Football Focus.
While the legendary boss brought in Ronaldo and Cantona, Giggs and Scholes rose through the club’s academy and he believes no one can match what they achieved in the Premier League.
“The younger breed like Ryan and Scholes were just fantastic players and the thing about those two was longevity.
“Are there players who have played right through the whole of the Premier League and performed at the level they have? There are none, absolutely none.
“Of course Ronaldo was just a complete genius of a player.”
Omissions from the list include ex-skippers Roy Keane and Rio Ferdinand, along with David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel and Wayne Rooney.
And while Ferguson admits he worked with other “great players” – he believes the quartet mentioned have the edge.
“These players elevated themselves above that,” he said.
Ferguson also stated French icon Cantonawas “the catalyst” for Manchester United’s success after arriving from Leeds in 1992.
“When we brought him in we won the league that season – it was his mere presence and his ability to make and score goals,” he added.
-UK Mirror
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