All good things come to an end (22/06/2011 08:51)

The seventh season of the UEFA Champions League, 1998-1999, was won by Manchester United after a thrilling 90+ minute finals.

A little while ago news came around that Paul Scholes will stop playing professional football. Just as many others before him, he reached a certain age which allows him to hang up his boots. Reading this news, my mind came up with a question: What happened to all the players from Man Utd that won the ’99 Champions League?

 

The following 20 players came up in my mind:

Goalkeepers:
Peter Schmeichel

Retired in 2003, now hosts several TV-shows

 

Raimond van der Gouw

Retired in 2006, is now a goalkeepings coach at Vitesse, in the Netherlands

 

Defenders:
Gary Neville

Retired on 2^nd February this year, no idea what he does atm.

 

Phil Neville

Still an active player; plays for Everton

 

Denis Irwin

Retired in 2004, now presents programms for Man Utd TV, columnist with a newspaper and covers several football games

 

Jaap Stam

Retired in 2007, became an Utd-scout in 2008, currently coaches at FC Zwolle (2^nd division in the Netherlands) and on the brink of become part-time coach of Ajax

 

Ronny Johnsen

Retired in 2008, no idea what he does atm.

 

Henning Berg

Retired in 2004, now manages Lillestrom in Norway

 

Wes Brown

Still active, still plays for Man Utd, though less regularly

Midfielders:

David Beckham

Currently plays for USA team Los Angeles Galaxy

 

Roy Keane

Retired in 2006, became manager of several British club teams, but is currently unemployed

 

 

Paul Scholes

Played 675 official games for Man Utd before deciding earlier this week to retire from professional football

 

Ryan Giggs

Still features in Sir Alex’s plans on a regular basis and therefore will play another season at Old Trafford, already amassing a staggering 876 official club matches

 

Nicky Butt

Sort of still active, after first announcing retirement in 2010, but coming back in the game to play for the club South China . He left this club end of May this year.

 

Jesper Blomqvist

Officially retired in 2005 and became manager (even though he still played a couple of matches as player-manager due to player injuries)

 

Jordi Cruyff

Son of you-know-who (no, not the Harry Potter one). Decided to retire in 2010 and then became Director of Football for a Maltese club.

 

Attackers:
Dwight Yorke

Retired in 2009, now tries to become a coach

 

Andy Cole

Retired in 2008, after scoring 270 goals in his career; he used to work on Man Utd  youth ground

 

Teddy Sheringham

Retired at the age of 42 in 2008, 898 official games; no idea what he does atm.

 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Retired in 2007 and currently works at Man Utd as reserve-team manager