Steffen is the undisputed number one in goal. Carles Puyol was on Spain's national team for two of its greatest moments — the 2008 Euro championship and the 2010 World Cup championship. Sign up to the Mirror Football email here for the latest news and transfer gossip. Over the course of their history, many legendary Footballers have played in the famous red shirt in front of the Stretford End and in this slideshow, SK count down the 10 greatest players in United's history. He was a spectacular player and could put the ball in the back of the net whenever and however he wanted. We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story. He perfected the "tiki taka" style of play and was a genius at finding open spaces to place the ball or himself. Born: Oct. 22, 1929 (Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union), Died: March 20, 1990 (Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union), Teams: Dynamo Mosco (1950-70), Soviet Union national team (1954-67), Career highlights: UEFA European Championship winner (1960), three-time Soviet Cup champion (1953, 1967, 1970), Olympic gold medal (1956), Ballon d'Or (1963), European Goalkeeper of the Year (1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966), FIFA World Cup All-Time Team (1994), FIFA Goalkeeper of the Century (2000). Romario saw it differently. Raised in a shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Diego Maradona rose up from abject poverty to become arguably the greatest soccer player of all time and one of the most controversial, dynamic athletes in sports history. Sergio Ramos made his La Liga debut for Sevilla when he was just 17 years old and has been playing at the highest level of professional soccer ever since, establishing himself as not just one of the greatest defenders of his generation, but of all time. Schmeichel isn’t just United’s greatest ever goalkeeper, but one of the greatest goalkeepers the world has ever seen. But he was so much more than just a "bargain," he was an integral part of United’s success in the 90’s. George Best even described him as being the "best in the business," and if someone as great as Best can say that about you, it must mean you are pretty amazing. That commentary Seemingly dressed head-to-toe in black on the pitch (it was actually navy blue), Lev Yashin became known as the "Black Spider" throughout the world for his incredible play in goal for the Soviet Union and for Dynamo Moscow. Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United as a fresh faced 18 year old from Sporting Lisbon, after he impressed United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson and his players in an August 2003 friendly. One World Cup and four Champions League titles say whatever he's doing works. One Eric Cantona Born: July 4, 1936 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Teams: River Plate (1945-49), Huracan (1945-46), Millionarios (1949-53), Real Madrid (1953-64), Espanyol (1964-66), Argentina national team (1947), Colombian national team (1948), Spain national team (1957-62), Career highlights: Five-time European Cup/Champions League champion (1956-60), two-time Ballon d'Or winner (1957, 1959). He was praised for his leadership skills and work ethic throughout his career, which was something sorely needed on a team that had some pretty big personalities on it. Best was a magician, a genius, and undoubtedly, a legend. But his ultra-competitiveness and boundless motivation along with his great goalkeeping skills make him one of the best goalkeepers to have ever stood between the posts at Old Trafford. He was a winger in his prime who moved into a deeper midfield position later in his career and the fact Giggs holds United’s all-time appearance record with 963 is plenty enough reason for him to be in this team. If not for "convulsive fits" before the 1998 World Cup final, Ronaldo likely ties Pele's mark with three World Cup championships. Dan Burke Monday, March 30, 2020, 6:40 UTC. "When I go out, I'm happy. One of the most influential soccer players in history, Johan Cruyff could have made this starting lineup at either midfielder or forward — a testament to his dedication to the "Total Football" philosophy espoused by longtime coach Rinus Michels. RM:  George Best. We love the antihero in movies, television and sports. After the departure of United's talisman striker, Ruud Van Nisterooy who had been at odds with Ronaldo, the Portuguese grew into a more varied attacking role than just that of a winger which he had primarily played as in his first seasons with the club. Let us know your best XI, either in the comments or on social media. The seven Premiership titles and three FA Cup medals speak for itself. @Manchester United – 2018-03-01 11:39:55 +0000 UTC, But his intelligence and commitment to fitness was what enabled him to keep playing at a very high level into his 40s. Xavi finished in third place in Ballon d'Or voting three years in a row, including in 2010 when he helped lead Spain to the World Cup title. Bobby Moore might be the most beloved player in the history of England. While a vast majority of the best players would have been from the Abramovich era (due to more money) we will also select some of the best Manchester United players from before Abramovich. I’ve supported Manchester United for as long as I can remember now, but I must admit, picking my ultimate starting XI isn’t as easy as it sounds.