Ryan Giggs spoke of his "pride, sadness, but most of all, excitement towards the future" after confirming the end of the most glittering playing career in English football.
Manchester United FC midfielder Ryan Giggs, the most decorated player in English football history, has confirmed his retirement.
The 40-year-old, who spent his entire career at Old Trafford, announced his decision in an open letter published on the club's website following the news that he had been appointed as assistant to new United manager Louis van Gaal.
"I am immensely proud, honoured and fortunate to have represented the biggest club in the world 963 times and Wales 64 times," said Giggs, whose last outing for the Red Devils came when he brought himself on for the final 20 minutes of the 3-1 win against Hull City AFC on 6 May, having assumed caretaker duties after the sacking of David Moyes last month. He scored 168 goals for United.
"My dream was always to play for Manchester United, and although it saddens me to know I won't be pulling on a United jersey again as a player, I have been lucky enough to have fulfilled that dream playing with some of the best players in the world, working under an incredible manager in Sir Alex Ferguson, and most of all, playing for the greatest fans in world football."
Nobody has turned out more times for United than Giggs, who hangs up his boots with 34 trophies to his name, among them 13 English league titles, four FA Cup successes and UEFA Champions League triumphs in 1999 and 2008. His move into full-time coaching means he will remain one shy of Raúl González's UEFA Champions League appearance record, group stage to final, of 142 matches.
He described his retirement as heralding "a new chapter filled with many emotions − immense pride, sadness, but most of all, excitement towards the future", adding: "United fans I hope will share and echo my belief that the club, the management and owners, are doing everything they can to return this great club to where it belongs, and I hope to be there every step of the way."
One of football's very special careers is finally coming to an end. The man who started playing for Manchester United just after John Major became Prime Minister - before the Premier League itself - is finally hanging up his boots after 23 years with the Reds.
The longevity of the Welshman's career is remarkable, but so is his sheer quality over the decades. From first playing for United as a 17-year-old in 1991, through to this present day, he has been at the heart of a succession of memorable teams.
This special Golden Years feature focuses on Giggs and his incredible career - we hope there's something here for everyone as we reflect on some of the teams, characters and moments that have helped to shape his life in the game.
Please leave us a comment in the section beneath this article if you wish to share your own memories.
Ryan Giggs made his Manchester United debut in March, 1991, at the age of 17. Football was a very different game then - before the satellite television millions, the sport is in many ways unrecognisable from the multi-million pound industry it is today. United hadn't won the league title for nearly a quarter of a century, and Alex Ferguson had just won his first trophy, the 1990 FA Cup. Giggs replaced injured full-back Denis Irwin that day, with Everton claiming a 2-0 win at Old Trafford
The famous Class of 92, very much the bedrock of Alex Ferguson's dominance of English football for a generation. Here United's youngsters celebrate FA Youth Cup success against Crystal Palace in 1992. Back row, left to right: Ben Thornley, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Simon Davies, Chris Casper, Kevin Pilkington and Keith Gillespie; front row, left to right: John O'Kane, Robbie Savage, George Switzer, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Colin McKee. Five of those players - the Neville brothers, Butt, Beckham, and Giggs went on to become first team regulars
United had claimed a surprise European Cup Winners Cup win in 1991, but European football was still a learning process for the youngsters at the time. Here, Giggs tries on a hat for size in Moscow in September, 1992, with the famous St Basil's Cathedral in the background. United were in the Russian capital for a Uefa Cup clash with Torpedo Moscow
Such is the longevity of Giggs' career that he has played with stars from very different eras - here he is with Brian McLair and Paul Parker following United's Premier League title win in 1993. It was a huge moment for United - they had finally ended their long wait to be crowned champions, which went back to 1967
A fabulous picture here, with Giggs helping to coach local children in Soweto during United's summer tour of South Africa in 1993. He was still a teenager at the time, but had already established himself as a major star, with the press often labelling him 'the new George Best'
Plenty of superstars have come and gone during Giggs' time at United, perhaps none as mercurial as Eric Cantona. The Frenchman joined United from Leeds in later 1992, and helped the Reds to win four league titles in five seasons - twice in that period, United claimed the league and cup double too. Here is a picture of Giggs and Cantona in 1995
This delightful picture shows Giggs taking a corner at Old Trafford during a clash with Tottenham early in 1996, a game United won 1-0 thanks to a brilliant goal from Eric Cantona. The 1995-96 season was a memorable one in English football, with Alan Hansen famously claiming that 'you win nothing with kids' after United's opening day defeat at Aston Villa, and Kevin Keegan's Newcastle taking a huge lead in the title race. As winter turned to spring, a relentless United closed the gap and claimed the crown, United boss Alex Ferguson driving Keegan to his infamous 'I would love it' rant on TV. It says a lot that Giggs, at the age of 22, was hardly seen as one of the 'kids' Hansen was referring to. He had been a United regular for five years already
The most important game of Giggs' long career surely came at the Nou Camp in Barcelona in May, 1999, with United in their first European Cup final for 31 years and needing to beat Bayern Munich to claim an incredible treble. Here, Giggs - who played on the right wing that night - is challenged by Bayern's Steffan Effenberg
The 1999 European Cup final is part of football folklore, with United 1-0 down going into injury time, and somehow resurrecting themselves to win 2-1, with unforgettable goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Solksjaer. On the night of former manager Sir Matt Busby's birthday, United had clinched a sensational treble. Peter Schmeichel played his final game for United that night - here is a picture of the Dane handing Giggs the trophy, with the Welshman planting a kiss on 'Old Big Ears'
Giggs won 64 caps for Wales between 1991 and 2007, but never made it to a major finals with his country. Here's a picture of Giggs taking on Argentina's Claudio Hussain during a friendly clash in Cardiff in 2002. The game finished in a 1-1 draw, with Craig Bellamy scoring for the hosts
This was something Giggs had to get used to over the years, as Sir Alex Ferguson gives him instructions during a clash with Leeds at Elland Road in September, 2002. United had won three league titles in row, but lost out to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal in 2001/02. Giggs and Ferguson were determined to win the crown back from the Londoners, and despite Arsenal taking a significant lead in the title race, United finished the season brilliantly, winning nine of their last ten league games and drawing the other at Highbury, to claim another league title
As Giggs moved into his 30s, he was already widely seen as one of the greatest players in the history of English football - little did we known then that he would be playing at the highest level for another decade. Here, he finds himself sandwiched between Chelsea pair Mario Melchiot and Jesper Gronkjaer during a Premier League clash at Old Trafford in May, 2004
Giggs scoring here against Birmingham in March, 2006. There were more than a few murmurs of discontent swirling around Old Trafford in the 2005/06 season, particularly when United started poorly in the league, were knocked out of the European Cup in the group stages and saw a disgruntled Roy Keane leave the club. As it turned out, United rallied to win the League Cup, and finished second in the league behind Chelsea. And more success was only just round the corner...
Possibly the greatest player that Giggs has played alongside is all-time footballing great Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar playing for the club between 2003 and 2009, helping the Reds to a league title treble and European Cup along the way. Here is a picture of a smiling Giggs with Ronaldo at United training in 2007
The 2008 European Cup final produced another one of theose scripts that nobody would dare dream up - 50 years after the Munich Air Disaster, United were in Moscow to play Chelsea in what the Daily Mail called the biggest game in the history of English football. Giggs, who came on as substitute, was making a record 759th appearance, taking him past United legend Sir Bobby Charlton. It was nearly 2am, Moscow time, when Giggs kept his nerve in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to score past Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. It looked like being Chelsea's night, but John Terry slipped and missed his crucial spot kick, and Edwin van Der Sar saved from Nicolas Anelka. On an unforgettable night in Russia, United were champions of Europe for a third time. Below, Giggs, then 34, finds himself very much the centre of attention with the European Cup in hand following United's triumph
Twenty years after Giggs made his first United appearance, he celebrates here at Ewood Park, after United had clinched their 19th league title with a draw against Blackburn in 2011. United had overtaken their great rivals Liverpool in terms of titles won - remarkably, when Giggs started playing, the title count was 18-7 in Liverpool's favour. Delighted United supporters sang 'Fergie and Giggsy have won it 12 times'
Giggs fires home United's opening goal in their 2-0 win over Everton in February, 2013. The victory put United 12 points clear of neighbours City, as they put behind the disappointment of losing the title on the final day of the 2011/12 season to canter to an historic 20th title success. Due to the seismic events at United three months after this picture was taken, Giggs would find himself on the same United coaching team as the other player in this picture - Everton's Phil Neville - by the time the 2013/14 season kicked off
When Sir Alex Ferguson announced in May 2013 that he would be retiring from football, it was truly the end of a defining era. The Scot had been United manager for 27 years, and Giggs had only known one boss. Here's a picture of Ferguson acknowleding the United fans after his 1,500th and final a game in charge at West Brom. The reaction of Giggs here says it all. At the age of 39, he would finally get to play under a new manager
It seems hard to believe that more than 23 years after making his United debut, Giggs has still been playing at the highest level. Here, a 40-year-old Giggs is seen in action against Olympiakos in a Champions League clash at Old Trafford. A fine personal performance from Giggs helped United to overturn a 2-0 deficit against the Greek outfit, winning 3-0 to move into the quarter-finals of the competition
When David Moyes was sacked as Manchester United boss last month, Giggs took over as interim manager. He took charge for four league games, which included two wins, a draw and a defeat. Here, he offers instructions to United defender Patrice Evra
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