Manchester United: 10 Best Foreign Stars to Have Played for the Red Devils

Manchester United, under Sir Alex Ferguson, have seen a plethora of talents enter and exit their roster. However, who have been the best players to have come outside of Great Britain? Here are 10 of Manchester United's greatest foreign stars. 

10. Jaap Stam

Jaap Stam spent only three seasons at United, but he played a massive role for United, helping them win three Premier League titles. He was also featured prominently in United’s treble winning season, and he was also voted the best defender in both the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 UEFA Champions League. 

9. Patrice Evra

Although Patrice Evra has waned considerably now, in his hey-days, he was one of the best full-backs in the game. He has been a regular at the left-back position for years now, and he probably has at least one more season of top-flight football left in him. 

8. Ruud van Nistelrooy

Second-highest goal-scorer in the Champions League, three-time Champions League top scorer, and 95 goals for United out of 150 appearances, Ruud van Nistelrooy is certainly one of the finer strikers who plied his trade at United. 

7. Oli Gunnar Solksjaer

“And Solskjaer has won it.”

The baby-faced assassin will forever be remembered for clinching United’s Champions League trophy in the dying minutes of stoppage time by scoring against Bayern Munich who looked set to lay their hands on the title.

He was a sort of “super-sub," and he scored 126 goals in 366 appearances. 

6. Nemanja Vidic

United’s play has always revolved around having a rock-solid defence.

Part of the “Famous Four” of the Serbian national team defence, Nemanja Vidic has been one of those no-nonsense defenders to have graced the game.

His leadership skills have also been of immensity for United, and United will hope that he will be fully fit for next season. 

5. Peter Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel is a no-brainer inclusion in this list. The Great Dane signified a great sense of composure at the goal.

Such was his significance, that after his departure, United had a considerable number of headaches in finding an adequate replacement. 

4. Edwin van der Sar

It took some six years before Sir Alex Ferguson found an adequate replacement for Peter Schmeichel in the form of Edwin van der Sar. Like his predecessor, Van der Sar was equally capable at goal, once going 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal. 

3. Cristiano Ronaldo

From humble beginnings in Sporting Lisbon, Cristiano Ronaldo would be a superstar by the time he left for Real Madrid. With United, he won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two Carling Cups and one Champions League trophy.

He also won both, the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d’Or while with United. 

2. Eric Cantona

Affectionately known as King Eric, Cantona won four Premier League titles with United. Moreover, he played a pivotal role in carving United into one of the world’s premier clubs.

1. Roy Keane

Captain fantastic, Roy Keane is arguably one of the most complete box-to-box midfielders to have ever graced the game. He was aggressive on and off the pitch and was not afraid to voice his opinions. On the field, he led by example, most notably in the second-leg tie of the 1999 Champions League semi-final when he revitalized the entire squad by putting in one of the finest performances by a United player to cement his teams’ berth in the finals. 

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