The Old Trafford hero scored the opener in a 6-0 win and then declared: "I'm glad it's all over," forcing Wayne Rooney to take a penalty ahead of him
By Greg Stobart
Playing at Old Trafford for the last time and wearing the captain's armband, Scholes smashed home a typically luscious strike after eight minutes in Manchester United's 6-0 win over the New York Cosmos, proving that, if he wanted to, he could play for another year.
Walking out onto the pitch with his three children, Scholes looked typically sheepish, desperate not to be the center of attention. But after 18 years of hiding from the limelight, he was the center of attention.
“I'm glad it's all over,” he said with a sigh of relief after the game.
That view was not shared by his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who lamented a "sad parting," and spoke of Scholes leading his life and career with "the right values."
The New York Cosmos, who have plans to hopefully become a Major League Soccer team, were the opponents here, and fielded the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and Gary Neville in their side.
But make no mistake, Old Trafford was packed to the rafters because 76,000 people wanted to show their respect and appreciation for Scholes, one of the greatest British players ever.
Scholes may have wanted the ground to swallow him up, but he knows what people think about him in these parts. At 36, he felt he could no longer do himself justice at the top level, but his intelligence and passing ability allowed him to continue for five years after what he described as his peak.
Cheered with every touch, he produced some typically sumptuous passes as well as a couple of his trademark feisty tackles, including one on his old friend Nicky Butt.
Moments after he opened the scoring, the ball was once again laid back to Scholes. As the crowd desperately called for him to fire another rocket at the Cosmos' goal he diverted the ball out wide, with nothing more than a jab of his right boot, straight into the path of Rafael.
Even in his last game, it was as if he was playing while wearing wing mirrors. When United won a first-half penalty, he forced Wayne Rooney to take it. Scholes doesn't like taking penalties and he took to this match with the same attitude as he did every game of his career.
Even Pele and the returning 'King' Eric Cantona could not detract from the carrot-topped central midfielder, who retires with 10 Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League triumph to his name.
Eventually, United ran out comfortable winners against a Cosmos side that had never played together and tired badly in the second half.
But the night belonged to Scholes, who saluted the United support for the final time with a lap of honour with his wife and children by his side. He looked genuinely choked by the warmth of the reception as he described his hope that he had given the fans "a few decent memories."
That he certainly did.
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