Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has revealed the moment he felt he would never play again after his duel with Gareth Bale.
The England star retired in 2011 but was asked by Sir Alex Ferguson to return to the club in January 2012, before permanently retiring in the summer of 2013.
Scholes said the moment he came back into the game and the moment he “knew” it was time to hang up his boots was against Spurs and faced a Gareth Bale who had absolutely wrecked him.
“I actually thought my first retirement should have been the end of it,” Scholes told the Football Greatest podcast. “l came back for six months and then the manager asked me to play another season, which I thought was a mistake.”
“I think it was the first home game of my last season, against Tottenham – I remember I didn’t play that bad, but I remember playing against Gareth Bale.
“That happened to me when I was 21, but he was playing so hot and fast. I remember he ran past me a couple of times and I knew I couldn’t compete with him. I couldn’t compete with him.”
“After the game I had to go on ice and do that for two days. I couldn’t move for three or four days. At that point I knew it was over. Promotion ufabet It was a mistake to play that season.”
“It was a special moment (to play his last game) but I didn’t really want it. I wanted to leave quietly. I didn’t even want to play my last game, so that confirms that I did the right thing.”