Giggs heads straight for football immortality

A couple of weeks later ... I just want to point out that the 40-year-old Paolo Maldini has just played his 900th match for AC Milan. That's 100 more than Giggs, and I'd wager that a greater fraction of Maldini's appearances have been as a starter, as opposed to a lot of Giggs's appearances being off the bench of late, which is much easier on the body. Also, it's not as if Maldini gets a soft ride as a defender. Let's not forget that AC Milan is no ordinary club either, nor Serie A an average competition. Yes, the EPL and Man U are top dogs right now, but only recently has it become thus: for a lot of Maldini's career, Italy was considered Europe's best league, and AC Milan a better team than Man U. And nor was Maldini any ordinary player: 5 Champion League titles (cf. 2 for Giggs, 3 if Man U win this year), 2nd and 3rd at World Cup (cf. Giggs), 2nd and 3rd at Euro Championships (cf. Giggs), selected in the FIFA 100 (cf. Giggs), etc. None of this is to belittle Giggs, not at all. Obviously he's a true legend. But I just like to fight against this prevailing attitude that because it happens in British soccer, it must be the greatest. Yes, some things that happen in English soccer are the greatest, but not nearly everything is. I find that by virtually all objective measures, Maldini exceeds Giggs.

Great player ... very good to watch..

I understand Giggs old man played rugby for Wales, and then "went north" as the saying was back then to play rugby league in northern England. I think Ryan played league as a youngster as well, but it was clear futbol would be the sport he was better at. If he had stayed in Wales, he may well have played rugby?? I thought he actually represented England at schoolboy level in futbol, maybe the rules are differant for schoolboy than for open age? In some ways he's a lot like George Best, a fantastic player who unfortunately never got to test himself at the pinnacle of world futbol (although EPL is close to the top), because he didn't play for a powerful futbolling nation. Greg - 800 games is a great achievement even if futbol is a bit easier on the body than some other sports, and its clear that Ryan is dedicated to looking after himself.

David, obviously Giggs is a real iron-man for lasting so long at the top, however his achievement is not as unusual in football as one might think. Football is a sport more amenable to very long careers than are the more brutal Australian codes of other types of football. So one should not imagine that Giggs has done the equivalent of 800 matches in the NRL or AFL! (this is perhaps how you see it). In most European leagues there will be several legendary field players who are still running around in their mid-30s, sometimes even older. Most of these will have started at a young age, just like Giggs did. An obvious current example is Alessandro Del Piero, who started in 1991 (like Giggs), and who is still going strong with Juve, with whom he has been since 1993. Other readers will no doubt be able to provide further examples. So here I go again with my everlasting battle to make people realize that there is more than just one great football league in Europe! It is not obvious to me that Del Piero is any less a footballer than Giggs. For example, Del Piero made the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Giggs did not. The fact that Del Piero has not played nearly as many games as Giggs is related both to injury and the fact that Italians have a more sensible number of matches per season than do the English. Anyway, to return to the point with which I started, I think what really distinguishes players like Giggs and Del Piero is not so much how long they have played, but how long they have played for the same club.

as long as no-one mentions his goal in the 1999 FA Cup Semi replay I'll be happy. Wait! What have I done?!?!

My favourite joke about the Scottish/English thing is that when England are playing Scots support the other team, when Scotland is playing the English support Scotland because one country really, same queen and because it really winds up the Scots. As for Giggs, just about my favourite EPL player notwithstanding that he plays for ManU. His capacity to maintain his quality in an environment that has turned over many good players often before they have felt it was time to go. Loved to see him take off down the left wing last weekend to set up Rooney's goal (even if it was another dagger in Liverpool's heart).

The Brits invented the game and so it would be harsh to force them to give up Scotland, Wales & N.Ireland. Yes the rule is unfair but it also seems just reward for the game's invention and development. Its kind of like all AFL Grand Finals being played at the MCG or Australia & the UK still getting to hold a tennis gran slam every year. It is a small acknowledgement of where the sport came from. In this case the move also generally only hurts England as they miss out on players like Giggs and Olympic representation whilst the other nations are not good enough to make a dent at World Cups etc. Also if you argue that the UK should play at one team, would you also expect the same of the EU since they are slowly moving towards effectively forming one nation? They would have one hell of a team.

Art, Whiskey - I have raised this a number of times over the last 18mths. And I agree with Art on the view the Scots hold of the Poms etc. But it bears again pointing out that EXACTLY the same split happens in so many other countries with semi-autonomous federated structures and yet they have to field a unified national team in all sports. So I don't know why the UK is so different.

i heard a rumour long ago that his dad purposely drove him over the border to be born a welshman... hmpf. to think that the populations and cultures are the same whitewashes centuries of history and tradition and is less relevant as the countries are all devolving anyway... but it is a different story altogether and not the purpose of the blog. millster maybe post an article for comment . I would be interested to hear your views (honestly)

In regards to why Giggs did not play for England. According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Giggs Giggs was born at St David's Hospital in Canton, Cardiff, Wales FYI - Giggs is mixed race (his paternal grandfather is from Sierra Leone) and has spoken of the racism he faced as a child He represented England at Schoolboy level (using the name Ryan Wilson) playing at Wembley Stadium against Germany in 1989. Lawrie McMenemy, then-coach of the England under-21 team, checked to see whether Giggs was eligible to play for England. However, he was rebuffed after finding that Giggs had no English grandparents, and was only available to play for Wales. Ditto: What a great career. What a great player. Millster - pretty brave of you to suggest Scots to play for team GB. I have quite a few scottish friends and they enjoy nothing more than to see the Poms lose in football. .

On the nationality thing anyway its ridiculous that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland play as separate nations anyway... after all we don't allow each separate part of the Russian Federation to enter the World Cup now do we?? So on that count alone he should have played for the United Kingdom. But that broader issue aside (although it is one that drives me insane) I thoroughly applaud this article for highlighting one of the most remarkable players of the modern era.

I think Giggs could have played for England but chose Wales cause he is more Welsh rather than because he was not good enough. I also could be wrong on this. All credit to himself for reinventing himself. The only comparative player I can think of is Maldini who played longer but is a defender

I can't remember specifically regarding Giggs playing for Wales, but believe it or not my driving instructor told me. I think he said that Giggs was actully born in Wales, but moved to England at the age of 1. Because his parents and grandparents were Welsh (I think), it meant there was no way he could play for England.

Giggs has adapted himself brilliantly as a footballer over the years. He burst onto the scene with his blinding pace and fantastic touch, but in recent years has kept himself a vital part of Fergie's plans with intelligent positional play, and perfect passes and flicks.

my understanding is that Giggs should have actually played for England in Internationals but was convinced he wasn't good enough as a junior and called on ancestry provisions to nominate Wales. I'm pretty sure if he had've played for England they may well have had more success at major tournaments. I might be wrong on this - it's ages since I heard that anecdote.