'Man United Legend Paul Scholes Reveals Three Toughest Opponents He Played Against In His Career

Paul Scholes interestingly named former Fulham player Papa Bouba Diop amongst his toughest opponents as he revealed that he "always found him awkward to play against."

The 45-year-old Manchester United legend won an incredible 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies during a glittering career at Old Trafford.

Speaking on Savage Social, Scholes said Arsenal hero Patrick Vieira was another tricky opponent and described him as a "clever player as well."

Along with Diop and Vieira, the former England international told host Robbie Savage he was in his toughest opponents as he described him as an "absolute nuisance."

Scholes explained: "When I played central midfield, I like to go into games thinking, 'I just want to have all the time in the world here, just nobody around me, just find a little bit of space and pass the ball around.'

"Then you play against people like you [Robbie]. An absolute nuisance, trying to close you down dead quick. I don't want that, I just want it nice and relaxed.

"The way I played I didn't really have to beat people or be stronger, quicker than the other person.

"I suppose Patrick Vieira, you play against him he is so long, he is so big. You think you've got the ball, and the next minute he nicks it over your head. He was a clever player as well.

"There's one more that people won't think of. We used to play against Portsmouth. Do you remember Papa Bouba Diop? Big, massive. They used to call him the 'Wardrobe.'

"You get involved physically with him and you're wasting your time. I always found him awkward to play against. He wasn't a Vieira, of course he wasn't, but he still had talent."

Scholes, who retired in 2013, was ranked the best Premier League midfielder of all time ahead of fellow legends Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.