Ryan Giggs knows a thing or two about European football.
The Manchester United legend has won the Champions League twice (in 1999 and 2008), been a runner-up twice (2009 and 2011), and boasts an incredible 141 appearances in the Europe’s most prestigious competition – only three players (Raul, Xavi and Iker Casillas) can better that record.
His former club may not currently feature in the Champions League, but the Welshman has had his say on the underwhelming performances of English sides in Europe this term. Only surprise package Leicester City remain at the quarter-final stage, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Spurs all failing to make the grade.
In fact, so damning is Giggs of the progress of this year’s Premier League clubs that he claims there are only two truly world-class players in all four squads combined. Writing for the Telegraph, the 43-year-old suggests Spurs and Leicester don’t boast any, whilst City and Arsenal can only boast one a piece.
We’d suggest a case could be made for Silva, Lloris, De Bruyne, Ozil, Kane and others, but who are we to argue with a Champions League legend? This is what Giggsy had to say:
‘It has been a factor throughout the performances of English teams in the Champions League that the quality simply is not there any longer, or not as it was when English clubs had that good run in the competition from 2005 to 2012.
‘It seems the very best players are concentrated elsewhere, and there is just a sprinkling of the leading players in the Premier League sides. Aside from Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez it is hard to think of the world-class players in the English Champions League squads this season.’
