A Prince Steps Down

A part of my soccer childhood ended today. Paul Scholes (a.k.a "The Ginger Prince" or "Scholesy" or "one of the greatest midfielders of his generation") had his testimonial match today, wearing the Manchester United shirt for the last time. It officially marks the end of an illustrious career that included 2 European Cups, 10 Premier League titles, and 3 FA Cups (not to mention representing England in the 1998 2002 World Cups). But you would never know it by talking to him.

His uncanny combination of abilities to pick out a cross-field teammate from 60 yards away, create scoring opportunities from thin air, and smash home an inviting ball from just outside the box made him a nightmare for opposing managers to plan for.

But really, he embodies so much of what I (and I think most fans) romantically love about sports. He played with United his entire career. He was modest and humble when it came to matters off the field. He dreaded post-match interviews, and he always looked uncomfortable when receiving personal praise and awards. It was all about the team and the club. In the Twitter-fueled personal PR age in which we currently live, Scholesy was a wallflower. Because of that, I think there was always a little mystery about him, and it made us love him all the more.

Who was this midfield master, anyway? He never really wanted us to know. He'll always be the red-haired man in the red shirt who is always good for a yellow card for putting a little too much in the tackle. Honestly, he is a big part of the reason I first became a fan of Manchester United. I owe him a lot.

So farewell, Scholesy. Enjoy this time with your family away from the Theatre of Dreams. I know you've probably been looking forward to this more than anything.