Carrick Crowns Scholes as His Ultimate United Teammate — And It’s Not Even Close

Michael Carrick might be steering Manchester United only until the end of the 2025–26 season, but he’s driving with conviction — even as a few of the old guard lean on the horn. And when it comes to the greatest teammate he ever shared a dressing room with at Old Trafford, the caretaker gaffer isn’t batting an eyelid: it’s Paul Scholes, not Cristiano Ronaldo, not Wayne Rooney.

Caretaker with critics — but calm with his convictions

Plenty have had their say about Carrick since he took the reins from Ruben Amorim. Cristiano Ronaldo, who briefly worked under him in 2021, publicly lauded Carrick’s touch and tactical nous. Yet Roy Keane and Gary Neville have urged caution about handing him the keys long-term despite a bright start. And Paul Scholes, ever the straight-talker, delivered an expletive-laden Instagram blast — branding United “c***” — after that sore defeat to Newcastle. It’s been noisy, but Carrick’s kept his counsel.

If you’re weighing up form, momentum, and who’s worth a flutter this weekend, our pick of the best betting sites has you covered — but on the subject of teammates, Carrick doesn’t need the odds to make up his mind.

Scholes over Ronaldo and Rooney — here’s why it stacks up

Carrick’s stance hasn’t changed in years: Scholes was the man. Not because the others weren’t world-class — far from it — but because Scholes was the perfect partner. Since arriving from Spurs in 2006, Carrick dovetailed with the “Ginger Prince” in that United engine room, two metronomes keeping pace while the headline-makers danced up front.

The pair shared the pitch 160 times, almost all of them for United, with a solitary outing for England. That’s a body of work, not a highlight reel. And here’s a telling nugget: all five of Carrick’s Premier League titles came while Scholes was part of the squad. Coincidence? Pull the other one. Scholes saw pictures before they developed, clipped passes into impossible windows, and made his partners look smarter. Ronaldo and Rooney were devastating finishers and match-winners; Scholes was the one who set the watch and kept the time.

From Carrick’s point of view it’s simple: footballers remember how a teammate made the game feel. Next to Scholes, everything felt a half-second easier. That’s gold dust at the very top level.

Toughest opponent? Seedorf gets the nod over Messi

Now here’s the eyebrow-raiser. United were twice undone in Champions League finals by Lionel Messi’s Barcelona — 2009 in Rome and 2011 at Wembley. Yet when Carrick is pressed on the stiffest opponent he faced, he tips his cap to Clarence Seedorf. And you can see why: peak Seedorf at Milan was a nightmare — all technique, strength, and savvy, popping up between the lines, looking after the ball like it was a family heirloom.

Carrick still pays full respect to Messi and that absurd Barcelona quartet: Sergio Busquets knitting it together, Andrés Iniesta ghosting through shadows, Xavi dictating the rhythm, and Messi applying the coup de grâce. As a collective, you won’t find better. But man-for-man, Seedorf was the riddle he could never quite solve.

Perspective from the touchline

That Carrick sticks by Scholes — even while Scholes has been publicly prickly about United of late — says plenty about the man. He values what happens between the white lines over noise off it. As a manager, that clarity shows: pick the right partner, simplify the game, control the tempo. It’s the Scholes-Carrick blueprint transposed to the dugout.

The numbers and the nods

— 160 matches alongside Scholes (United and one for England)

— Five Premier League titles for Carrick, each with Scholes in the squad

— Toughest opponent named: Clarence Seedorf (Milan), with due deference to the Messi-led Barcelona machine

Player appearance and honours data referenced via Transfermarkt. Statistics correct as of 07-03-26.

In short, Carrick’s choices make football sense. You can keep your stepovers and your viral moments; the real connoisseurs pick the teammate who makes everyone else play. That was Scholes. And for the toughest nut to crack? Seedorf, the midfield statesman who never let you breathe. Proper players recognise proper players.