Paul Scholes, the renowned Manchester United legend, has identified Gareth Bale, a former Tottenham Hotspur star as the player who sent him to retirement.
According to the former England midfielder, he ‘knew it was the end’ for his playing career after being exposed by Bale during the 2012-13 season.
Scholes was one of Man United’s most consistent players for almost two decades after breaking into the first team in the early 1990s.
He made over 700 appearances for his boyhood club and won 10 Premier League titles, including two UEFA Champions League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson, before retiring in 2011.
But Scholes was convinced to come out of retirement less than 12 months later.
He played one more season for the Red Devils before hanging up his boots for good in May 2013.
However, Scholes has now insisted that it was a ‘mistake’ to agree to return, adding that he could barely move for four days after playing against Bale.
“I actually thought the first time I retired would be the end,” Scholes said on the Football’s Greatest podcast.
“I came back for six months originally, and then the manager [Alex Ferguson] wanted me to stay for another season and I think that was a mistake.
“I think it was the first home game of my last season, against Tottenham. I remember I didn’t actually play that badly, but I remember playing against Gareth Bale.
“I remember him going past me two or three times and I knew I couldn’t compete with that; I had absolutely no chance.
“I was in the ice bath later and I could’ve been in there for two days; I could barely move for three or four days. That is when I knew that was the end. It was a mistake to play that season.”
